Siamese spitting cobra
| Siamese spitting cobra | ||||||||||||
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Siamese spitting cobra ( Naja siamensis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Well siamensis | ||||||||||||
| Laurenti , 1768 |
The Siamese spitting cobra ( Naja siamensis ) belongs to the genus of the real cobras ( Naja ) within the family of poisonous snakes . Synonyms are Siam cobra , Indonesian spitting cobra , Indochinese spitting cobra and black and white cobra . In English, the species is known as the Indochinese Spitting Cobra or Black and white (Spitting) Cobra . Well siamensis is listed in Appendix B of the EU Species Protection Ordinance , so keeping in captivity must be reported.
features
Well siamensis reaches a total length of 120 to 150 cm with a slim but strong build. The relatively short head is only slightly separated from the neck. The eyes have a round pupil . The body is drawn variably on top, mostly speckled in black and white. Monochrome animals are also known. The ventral side is cream-colored and possibly darkly spotted. The body scales are smooth. The construction of the fangs generally corresponds to that of all venomous snakes. Well siamensis is a spitting cobra , the exit of the venom canal in the fang is bent forward and smaller and narrower than in non-spitting cobras. The outlet thus functions as a nozzle and enables the poison to be spewed to deter an attacker.
Occurrence
Naja siamensis is common in Southeast Asia in Cambodia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam . The populated habitats include a wide variety of habitats in the lowlands and low mountain ranges, including forests and forest edges. Often the species can also be found as a culture follower on rice fields, which occasionally leads to conflicts with humans.
Way of life
The Siamese spitting cobra reproduces through oviparity (laying eggs), whereby a clutch can contain up to 19 eggs. The prey spectrum of the snake includes small mammals such as mice , frogs, as well as other reptiles and other snakes . Most of the time the animal is diurnal and lives on the ground.
Snake venom
The mixture of toxins in the Siamese spitting cobra is extremely potent, and the poison bite is life-threatening for humans. The poison primarily contains postsynaptic neurotoxins , which act as antagonists at peripheral nicotine receptors , as well as cytotoxins , which damage cell walls and lead to cell and tissue death. The neurotoxins are only relevant after a poisonous bite and cause paralysis , which initially appears as ptosis and can lead to complete paralysis with lethal respiratory paralysis . The cytotoxins cause more or less severe necrosis when bitten . If the poisonous secretion gets into the eyes through spitting, it can cause severe eye damage, among other things from the cytotoxins, if it is not rinsed out immediately with plenty of water or another suitable liquid.
swell
- O'Shea: Venomous snakes - All species of the world in their habitats, Kosmos Verlag, 2006.
- WCH Clinical Toxinology Resources: Well siamensis
- UniProt: Well, siamensis
Web links
- Well siamensis in The Reptile Database
- Entry on Siamese spitting cobra in Flexikon , a wiki by DocCheck ( N. siamensis , details on toxicology)