Spitting cobra
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Spitting cobra refers to any one of several species of cobras that have the ability to spit or eject venom from their mouth when defending themselves against predators. The spit venom, although not generally fatal on contact, can cause permanent blindness if introduced to the eye (causing chemosis and corneal swelling[link]), and/or skin scarring if left untreated.
Despite their name, these snakes don't actually spit their venom. They rather spray the venom, using muscular contractions upon the venom glands. The muscles squeeze the glands to forcefully propel the venom out of front openings in the fangs. To further aid this, the two streams of venom from each fang cross each other soon after leaving the snake, adding velocity to the combined stream. When cornered, some species can "spit" their venom up to a distance of two meters. Four out of seven species of cobras found in Africa and seven out of nine species found in Asia can spit to varying degrees.
While spitting is typically their primary form of defense, all spitting cobras are also capable of delivering venom through a bite as well. Most species' venom exhibit significant hemotoxic effects, along with more typical neurotoxic effects of other cobra species.
Species of the spitting cobras
- Black-Necked Spitting Cobra (Naja nigricollis nigricollis)
- Black Spitting Cobra (Naja nigricollis woodi)
- Western Barred Spitting Cobra (Naja nigricollis nigricincta)
- Red Spitting Cobra (Naja pallida)
- Mozambique Spitting Cobra (Naja mossambica)
- Malaysian Spitting Cobra (Naja sputatrix)
- Black and White Spitting Cobra (Naja siamensis)
- Sumatran Spitting Cobra (Naja sumatrana)
- Nubian Spitting Cobra (Naja nubiae)
- Burmese Spitting Cobra (Naja manadalayensis)
Other spitting species
Some non-spitting cobras have been noted to spit occasionally. Certain, predominantly non-spitting, Asian cobras do have the spitting tendency.[[Citing sources citation needed]]The Rinkhals cobra (Hemachatus haemachatus) is another elapid species, which while not belonging to the Cobra genus (Naja), is closely related, that can spit venom. In fact, the Rinkhals is one of the most effective venom spitting snakes.
References
- Greene, Harry W. (1997) Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California.
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