 |
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
| |
|
Spitting SnakesThree species of snake
can spit or eject the venom in a fine spray, which is aimed at the eyes of
an enemy and projected for distances up to 2.4 m (8 ft). If the venom gets
into the eyes, it may cause blindness. The spitting is used only in defense
and never to obtain food. Some cobras can spray their venom
for a distance of up to 2.5 meters . This action is called spitting , but it
does not evolve puckering the lips and blowing the venom outward . Spitting
is a defensive behaviour that has nothing to do with killing prey. Spitting
cobras bite and envenomate their prey just as do other venomous snakes. Two of the spitting-cobra groups are
African: - One group is the African ringhal
cobra (Hemachatus haemachatus) , and the second includes the black-necked
cobra (Naja nigricollis), the Mozambique spitting cobra (N . mossambica) ,
the Mozambique red spitting cobra (N . pallida) , and the wEst African
spitting cobra (N . katiensis). The third group is from eastern Asia
and includes the golden spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana) of the Malay
Peninsula and Sumatra, the Indonesian spitting cobra (N . sputatrix) of
southern Indonesia, the common spiting cobra (N . philippinensis) and Samar
spitting cobra (N . samarensis) of the Philippines, the Chinese and
Indochinese populations of the Asian black cobra (N . atra), and some
populations of the widespread Asian monocled cobra (N . kaouthia). These
snakes live in areas inhabited by large herbivores that might trample them
or large carnivores that might eat them, and thus use their venom
defensively. At close quarters, the spitting
cobras have very accurate aim. If the neurotoxic venom reaches the eyes, it
is quickly absorbed by the capillaries of the conjunctiva. The venom may
cause temporary blindness by irritating the cornea, extensive damage of the
cornea can lead to permanent blindness . The venom should be rinsed out of
the eye as soon as possible.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||
|
|
