Eastern Shield-nose Snake
Aspidelaps scutatus
The shield-nosed cobra (Aspidelaps scutatus), also known commonly as the eastern shield-nose snake, is a species of venomous snake of the family Elapidae. The species is native to southern Africa. There are three recognized subspecies.
From the article Shield-nosed cobra on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
Adults of Aspidelaps scutatus have an average snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 63.5 cm (25.0 in). The dorsal scales are arranged in 21–25 rows at midbody, and they are keeled on the posterior portion of the body.
Range & habitat
The shield-nosed cobra is found in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Wikipedia: “Geographic range”
What it does
Aspidelaps scutatus is fossorial. A specialized skull structure, along with the uniquely large rostral scale, make it very effective at digging and tunneling. It is a nocturnal species.
Wikipedia: “Behavior”
Toxicity
The species Aspidelaps scutatus is highly venomous, and its bite has caused at least one reported death of a human, despite its propensity to bite being somewhat low. The venom is highly neurotoxic. Symptoms include slurred speech, ptosis, and partial paralysis. No antivenin is available for this species. Any bite or spit-sprayed venom from any elapid snake should be treated as an urgent medical emergency.
Wikipedia: “Venom”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Aspidelaps scutatus in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 30461.