Spitting Snakes of Southern Africa
Spitting in snakes is found in some of the cobras of the genus Naja and the Rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus). The ability to project or spit venom occurs in both Asian and African Cobras and appears to have evolved separately on both continents. Out of the 33 species of true cobra around the world, spitting has evolved in 15 species, therefore less than half are able to spit venom. In southern Africa, spitting occurs in 4 cobra species and the Rinkhals.