"Dendraspis" shine ainihin asalin macizai masu dafin da aka fi sani da "mambas." Akwai nau'ikan mambas da yawa, ciki har da black mamba (Dendraspis polylepis) da kore mamba (Dendraspis viridis)Kalmar "Dendraspis" ta samo asali ne daga kalmomin Helenanci "dendron" ma'ana "itace" da kuma "aspis" ma'ana "garkuwa," wanda ke nufin siffar kan maciji. Jikin siriri na mamba da salon rayuwar arboreal shima yana iya yin tasiri akan zaɓin sunan "Dendraspis."