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  1. Terrestrial snakes
  2. Central and Southern Africa
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  4. Elapids
  5. Biological entry: Hemachatus spp.

Animal: Hemachatus spp., Rinkhals

Species

  1. Hemachatus haemachatus
  2. Hemachatus nyangensis

With the help of the ancient DNA analysis technique it has been recently possible to investigate the highly degraded DNA of Museum specimens which were fixated in formalin. The isolated population of the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe (Nyanga district, Maincaland) has been decribed as the new Rinkhals species Hemachatus nyangensis (Major et al. 2023). The last specimens were collected until 1980 and H. nyangensis seems to be 'potentially extinct' in these days.

Taxonomy

Serpentes; Elapidae; Elapinae

Common names

  1. Ring-necked spitting cobra, Rinkhals, Südafrikanische Speikobra, Ringhalskobra
  2. Nyanga rinkhals

Distribution

 See link "Distribution" at the top of the page for detailed information.

 South Africa. Isolated population in the extreme east of Zimbabwe.

Hemachatus spp.

Biology

Appearance similar to that of the true cobras (Naja spp.). If threatened, it also raises the front part of its body and spreads the ribs in its neck to form a hood. As with African and Asian spitting cobras, H. haemachatus can spray venom over quite a distance as a means of defence (caution – eye contact!). If it is unable to retreat, it gives a very convincing show of being dead, only to strike rapidly at the right moment.

Basic colouring dark, sometimes with speckled or faint bands. When it flattens its neck to form a hood, white and black bands become visible ventrally, as with Naja melanoleuca or Naja annulifera. Length 1 m, rarely above 1.2 m. Very prevalent in some areas. Chiefly diurnal. Lives in dry habitats, from flat coastal areas to up to 2,500 m above sea level in mountain areas.

Risk

In one study over a period of 10 years in Johannesburg, 9/39 taxonomically identified snakebites were caused by H. haemachatus  (9 patients; bite 8/9, eye injury 1/9) . None of the patients showed serious local or systemic symptoms (Rippey et al. 1976). Mild local swelling in 2/8, ecchymosis in the area around the swelling in 2/8 (Rippey et al. 1976).

Neurological effects have been described: Diplopia, dyspnoea 1/8 (Rippey et al. 1976). FitzSimons (1962) reports a bite, from wich he suffered personally, with dysphagia, dysphonia, blurred vision, weakness of the arms and legs, dyspnoea (loss of consciousness) .

Literature (biological)

Broadley 1983, Broadley and Cock 1989, Visser and Chapman 1978, Major et al. 2023, O'Shea 2005

The Reptile Database

RepFocus