[3][4] It is often thought of as an attractive species; it is usually bright salmon-red contrasted with a broad black throat band and subocular teardrop markings.

For example, specimens from southern Kenya and northern Tanzania have an orange-red colour, with a broad, dark blue or black throat band.

Specimens from other areas can be yellow, pinkish, pink-grey, pale red or steel grey.

[3] The body of this snake is slightly depressed, tapered and moderately slender with a medium-length tail.

It primarily inhabits dry savanna and semidesert areas of East Africa up to an elevation of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level.

Adults like to hide in termite mounds, old logs, holes, brush piles or any other ground cover during the day.

[5] This species has a wide range of prey, but they prefer amphibians such as toads and frogs, if and when they are available.

Bite symptoms include slight pain around the wound and numbness of the lips, fingers and tongue.

[7] An autopsy done on him by the Eastern Cape provincial pathologist revealed no biting or damage either in his nasal cavities, throat or lungs.

The red spitting cobra is closely related and forms a sister taxon with the Nubian spitting cobra (Naja nubiae) of northeastern Africa, which was originally considered a northern population of N. m. pallida before being recognized as a distinct species in 2003.