Chordates • Earth.com

Rinkhals

(Hemachatus haemachatus)

galery

Description

The rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) is a species of venomous elapid 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. Colouration varies throughout its distribution area, but a characteristic of the species is the belly is dark with one or two light-coloured crossbands on the throat. Their average length is 90–110 cm. Some individuals may have a mostly black body, while others are striped. Rinkhals scales are distinct from those of Naja cobras in that they are ridged and keel-like. This species is found in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, northeast through the Free State, Lesotho, Transkei, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Western Eswatini, Mpumalanga and parts of Gauteng, South Africa. An isolated population is centered on Inyanga on the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border. The rinkhals generally prefers grassland habitats because it allows them to blend in with the surroundings. Rinkhals also may live in swamps around southern Africa.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family:Elapidae
Genus:Hemachatus
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