What is the primary reason the common visual identification of Naja nivea can mislead observers unfamiliar with taxonomy?

The sheer variety of colors displayed, ranging from yellow to black

The Yellow Cobra exhibits remarkable phenotypic plasticity, displaying coloration that spans from bright yellow or golden brown to dark brown or even entirely black phases across its range. Since formal taxonomy relies on underlying genetic and stable morphological structures rather than superficial, variable pigmentation patterns, an observer relying only on color risks misidentifying the snake or assuming different species exist where there is only one formal species, *N. nivea*. Although color morphs can sometimes be geographically linked, such as Kalahari specimens tending toward yellow, these variations do not equate to separate species or subspecies designations, underscoring taxonomy's reliance on consistent structural identity.