The Rinkhals also called the Ringhals or Ring-necked Spitting Cobra (Hemachatus haemachatus) is a venomous elapid species found in parts of southern Africa. It is one of a group of cobras that has developed the ability to spit venom as a defense mechanism.
Scale pattern and distribution
Scalation:
17 -19 Dorsal scales on the midbody
116-150 Ventrals
30-47 Subcaudals
Subscales are paired
Analscale is entire
7 Upper labials
3+4 Upper labials entering the eye
1 Preoculair (rarely up to 3)
3 Postoclurairs
8-9 Lower labials
Behaviour and diet
The Rinkhals has eclectic tastes. Its main prey is toads, but it also eats small mammals, reptiles and other amphibians. Like several other snakes, the Rinkhals is also known for its ability to play dead. The Rinkhal only hunts at night because it is hiding from the sun during the day.
Venom
The venom of the Rinkhals is neurotoxic and partially cytotoxic. The venom of this species is less viscous than that of other African elapids. It generally aims its venom at the face. If the venom enters the eyes it causes great pain.
Symptoms of a bite
Local symptoms of swelling / bruising is reported in about 25% of cases. General symptoms of drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, violent abdominal pain, cramps and vertigo often occur, as does a mild pyrexial reaction.
Defensive behaviour
When distressed the Rinkhals spreads its hood, showing its distinctive striped neck. The Rinkhals is a spitting snake, and can spray its venom (which is neurotoxic) up to 2.5m. It is also known to fake death by rolling onto its back with its mouth agape.
Habitat
The Rinkhals generally prefers grassland habitas because it makes them blend in with the surroundings. Rinkhals also my live in swamps around Southern Africa.
Interesting facts
- The Rinkhals is not in the same genus as other "true" cobras, it is in fact monotypic and not in the genus Naja. Nevertheless, many experts consider it to be one of the true "spitters" - as spitting goes among snakes.
- Rinkhals are unique amongst African cobras in being ovoviviparous. They give birth to 20-35 young, but as many as 65 babies have been recorded.
- The Rinkhals is unique also, compared to cobras, as it has keeled scales.
But we pinned him down and now he's safely inside a drawstring bag. I'm off to release him on some open farmland nearby. Chris wrote:Good one!
I don't realy like killing them unless they become a real problem.
fig wrote:The snake is now safely in a wetland about 5km away. Hopefully that's far enough for it not to find its way back.
Latest entry into my log book "Release snake - 10km"Yip! It was beautiful!!!.... And very pissed off!Pine wrote:Wow! What a magnificent creature!
. A little excitement on a Sunday afternoon... You mean: 'Pitttttttttttthhhhhhhed off?'Mrs Fig wrote:Yip! It was beautiful!!!.... And very pissed off!
Reminds me of growing up on Langebaanweg Airforce base, we'd have the occasional scorpion or red roman spider(nasty looking things) get into the house, my dad would always catch it in a jar or tub and then slide some paper underneath to get it off the ceiling or ground and then release it in the veld nearby,never killed anything,fig wrote: I don't want to kill it, so I'm trying to catch it to release it elsewhere,.
Splitz wrote: red roman spider
Solifugae is an order of Arachnida, containing more than 1,000 described species in about 140 genera. The name derives from Latin, and means those that flee from the sun. The order is also known by the names Solpugida, Solpugides, Solpugae, Galeodea and Mycetophorae. Their common names include camel spider, wind scorpion, jerrymuglum, sun scorpion and sun spider. In southern Africa they are known by a host of names including red romans, haarskeerders and baardskeerders, the latter two relating to the belief they use their formidable jaws to clip hair from humans and animals to line their subterranean nests.
Solifugae are not true spiders, which are from a different order, Araneae. Like scorpions and harvestmen, they belong to a distinct arachnid order. Solifugae are considered to be endemic indicators of desert biomes.
Solifugae are the subject of many urban legends and exaggerations about their size, speed, behavior, appetite, and lethality. They are not especially large, the biggest having a leg span of perhaps 12 centimeters (5 in).[3] They are fast on land compared to other invertebrates, the fastest can run perhaps 16 km/h (10 mph), nearly half as fast as the fastest human sprinter. Members of this order of Arachnida apparently have no venom, with the possible exception of one species in India (see below) and do not spin webs.
In the Middle East, it is widely rumored among American and coalition military forces stationed there that Solifugae will feed on living human flesh. The story goes that the creature will inject some anaesthetizing venom into the exposed skin of its sleeping victim, then feed voraciously, leaving the victim to awaken with a gaping wound. Solifugae, however, do not produce such an anaesthetic, and they do not attack prey larger than themselves unless threatened. Other stories include tales of them leaping into the air, disemboweling camels, screaming, and running alongside moving humvees; all of these tales are dubious at best. Due to their bizarre appearance many people are startled or even afraid of them. This fear was sufficient to drive a family from their home when one was discovered in a soldier's house in Colchester, England. The greatest threat they pose to humans, however, is their bite in self-defense when one tries to handle them. There is essentially no chance of death directly caused by the bite, but, due to the strong muscles of their chelicerae, they can produce a proportionately large, ragged wound that is prone to infection.
