Rinkhals

About the Rinkhals

The rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus), also known as the ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is found in parts of southern Africa. It is not a true cobra in that it does not belong to the genus Naja, but instead belongs to the monotypic genus Hemachatus. While rinkhals bear a great resemblance to true cobras, they also possess some remarkable differences from these, resulting in their placement outside the genus Naja.

In 2023, the Zimbabwe population was described as a new species, H. nyangensis. Colouration of the rinkhals varies throughout its distribution area, but a characteristic of the species is that the belly is dark with one or two light-coloured crossbands on the throat. Its usual total length (tail included) is 90–110 cm (35–43 in). Some individuals may have a mostly black body, while others are striped. The dorsal scales are distinct from those of Naja cobras in that they are keeled. Also unlike members of the genus Naja, the rinkhals lacks solid teeth on the maxilla.

The rinkhals has 17–19 rows of dorsal scales at its midbody, and has 116–150 ventral scales located... Wikipedia →