Elapidae Naja, indicating the family Elapidae and genus Naja, is the scientific name used for which of the following animals?

Introduction / Context:
Zoological classification uses scientific names to precisely identify species and to show their relationships. Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes, and Naja is a genus within that family. This question checks whether you can link that scientific designation to the correct common name among cobra, elephant, eagle, and owl. Recognising that Naja is associated with cobras is an important detail in basic zoology and general knowledge, especially in the context of venomous snakes.

Given Data / Assumptions:
– The scientific designation given is Elapidae Naja, referring to a snake family and genus.
– The options include cobra, elephant, eagle, and owl.
– We assume familiarity with the fact that Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes like cobras, kraits, and mambas.
– The goal is to match the genus Naja with the correct animal name.

Concept / Approach:
The family Elapidae includes venomous snakes with fixed front fangs, such as cobras, kraits, coral snakes, and mambas. Within this family, the genus Naja refers specifically to true cobras, which are known for their hood and, in some species, the ability to spit venom. Elephants, eagles, and owls are not snakes and belong to completely different taxonomic groups: elephants are mammals in the family Elephantidae, eagles and owls are birds in the classes of raptors and nocturnal birds respectively. Since they are not even reptiles, they cannot belong to Elapidae or Naja. Therefore, cobra is the correct match for Elapidae Naja.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Elapidae is a snake family that includes many highly venomous species. Step 2: Recall that the genus Naja is used for true cobras, which have distinct hoods and characteristic defensive behaviour. Step 3: Note that elephant is a large land mammal and cannot be classified under a snake family. Step 4: Understand that eagle and owl are birds with feathers and wings, also not connected to snake families like Elapidae. Step 5: Conclude that Elapidae Naja refers to cobra.

Verification / Alternative check:
Herpetology references list Naja naja as the Indian cobra and also enumerate other Naja species, all of which are cobras. These snakes are firmly placed in the family Elapidae. The same texts classify elephants in completely different mammalian families and eagles and owls in avian families like Accipitridae and Strigidae. A basic search in any zoological database for Naja leads directly to cobra species. This consistent use of Naja for cobras across scientific literature confirms that cobra is the correct option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Elephant: Elephants are mammals of the family Elephantidae and are not reptiles or snakes, so they cannot be classified under Elapidae Naja.
Eagle: Eagles are birds of prey belonging to avian families like Accipitridae and have no taxonomic link to snake families such as Elapidae.
Owl: Owls are nocturnal birds in families like Strigidae and Tytonidae and are taxonomically distinct from Elapidae snakes.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes do not recall exact genus names and may guess based solely on familiarity with the animals. Another error is to focus only on Elapidae, which some may not recognise, and overlook Naja, which is more widely cited in common references. To avoid mistakes, associate Naja with cobra just as you might associate Panthera with big cats or Canis with dogs and wolves. These genus level associations make it much easier to decode scientific names in multiple choice questions.

Final Answer:
Elapidae Naja is the scientific classification used for the venomous snake commonly known as a Cobra.