The
coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups:
New WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the non-Afro-Eurasian parts of the Earth, specifically the Americas and possibly Australia. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans, who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia,...
coral snakes and
Old WorldThe Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans in the 15th century.-Regions:The Old World includes Europe, Asia, and Africa , plus surrounding islands...
CalliophisCalliophis is a genus of venomous elapid snakes known commonly as oriental coral snakes or Asian coral snakes.Species in this genus are:* Calliophis beddomei – Beddome's Coral Snake...
snakes. There are three
generaIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
among New World coral snakes that consist of over 65 recognized
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
.
Coral snakes are most notable for their red, yellow/white, and black colored banding. (Several
nonvenomousSnake venom is highly modified saliva that is produced by special glands of certain species of snakes. The gland which secretes the zootoxin is a modification of the parotid salivary gland of other vertebrates, and is usually situated on each side of the head below and behind the eye, invested in...
species have similar coloration, however, including the
Scarlet KingsnakeThe Scarlet King snake is a type of king snake that is found in the Eastern portion of the United States, particularly Florida. It is a subspecies of the milk snake Lampropeltis triangulum. They are found in pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, prairies, cultivated fields, and suburban areas...
, the
Milk SnakeThe Milk Snake is a species of king snake. There are 25 subspecies among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake . The subspecies have strikingly different appearance, and many of them have their own common names...
, and the Chionactis occipitalis annulata).
The
coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups:
New WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the non-Afro-Eurasian parts of the Earth, specifically the Americas and possibly Australia. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans, who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia,...
coral snakes and
Old WorldThe Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans in the 15th century.-Regions:The Old World includes Europe, Asia, and Africa , plus surrounding islands...
CalliophisCalliophis is a genus of venomous elapid snakes known commonly as oriental coral snakes or Asian coral snakes.Species in this genus are:* Calliophis beddomei – Beddome's Coral Snake...
snakes. There are three
generaIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
among New World coral snakes that consist of over 65 recognized
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
.
North American Coloration Patterns
Coral snakes are most notable for their red, yellow/white, and black colored banding. (Several
nonvenomousSnake venom is highly modified saliva that is produced by special glands of certain species of snakes. The gland which secretes the zootoxin is a modification of the parotid salivary gland of other vertebrates, and is usually situated on each side of the head below and behind the eye, invested in...
species have similar coloration, however, including the
Scarlet KingsnakeThe Scarlet King snake is a type of king snake that is found in the Eastern portion of the United States, particularly Florida. It is a subspecies of the milk snake Lampropeltis triangulum. They are found in pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, prairies, cultivated fields, and suburban areas...
, the
Milk SnakeThe Milk Snake is a species of king snake. There are 25 subspecies among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake . The subspecies have strikingly different appearance, and many of them have their own common names...
, and the Chionactis occipitalis annulata). In some regions, the order of the bands distinguishes between the non-venomous mimics and the venomous coral snakes, inspiring some folk rhymes — "Red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, friend of Jack", "Red on Yellow Kills a Fellow, Red on Black, Venom Lack," and "Red on yellow kills a fellow; red on black, pat it on the back" or "if red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow (for Coral Snakes); if red touches black, you're okay, Jack (for similar looking Milk Snakes)". However, this only reliably applies to coral snakes native to North America:
Micrurus fulviusMicrurus fulvius is a venomous elapid snake that is found in the southeastern United States. It should not be confused with the scarlet snake or scarlet kingsnake , which are harmless mimics...
(Eastern or common),
Micrurus tenerThe Texas Coral Snake is a species of venomous elapid snake that is ranges the southern United States south to northeastern and central Mexico...
(Texas), and
Micruroides euryxanthus (Arizona), found in the southern and eastern
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Coral snakes found in other parts of the world can have distinctly different patterns, have red bands touching black bands, have only pink and blue banding, or have no banding at all.
Most species of coral snake are small in size. North American species average around in length, but specimens of up to or slightly larger have been reported. Aquatic species have flattened tails, to act as a fin, aiding in swimming.
Behavior
Coral snakes vary widely in their behavior, but most are very elusive,
fossorialA fossorial organism is one that is adapted to digging and life underground such as the badger, the naked mole rat, and the mole salamanders Ambystomatidae...
snakes which spend the vast majority of their time buried beneath the ground or in the leaf litter of a
rainforestRainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm . The monsoon trough, alternately known as the intertropical convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating Earth's tropical rain forests.From 40 to 75%...
floor, only coming to the surface during rains or during breeding season. Some species, like
Micrurus surinamensis are almost entirely
aquaticAn aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
and spend most of their lives in slow-moving bodies of water that have dense vegetation.
Like all elapid snakes, coral snakes use a pair of small fangs, which are fixed in the front of their top jaw, to deliver their venom. Due to the time it takes for the venom to take effect, coral snakes have a tendency to hold on to a victim when biting, unlike
viperThe Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii and the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom...
s which have retractable fangs and tend to prefer to strike and let go immediately. Coral snakes are not aggressive or prone to biting however, and account for less than one percent of the number of snake bites each year in the United States. Most coral snake bites occur because of accidental handling of the snake while engaged in an activity like
gardeningGardening is the practice of growing ornamental or useful plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance. Useful plants may be grown for consumption or for a variety of other purposes, such as medicines or dyes...
.
Distribution
New World coral snakes exist in the southern range of many temperate U.S. states.
Coral Snakes are found in scattered localities in the southern Coastal Plain from North Carolina to Louisiana, including all of Florida. They can be found in pine and scrub oak sandhills habitats in parts of this range but sometimes inhabit hardwood areas and pine flatwoods that undergo seasonal flooding.
There is controversy about the classification of the very similar Texas coral snake as a separate species. Its habitat, in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, is separated from the eastern habitat by the Mississippi River. The map here shows the denser population in the southeast United States but coral snakes have been spotted as far north as Kentucky.
The Arizona coral snake, clearly a separate species, is found in central and southern Arizona, extreme southwestern New Mexico and southward to Sinaloa in western Mexico. It occupies arid and semiarid regions in many different habitat types including thornscrub, desert-scrub, woodland, grassland and farmland. It is found in the plains and lower mountain slopes from sea level to 5800 feet (1768 m); often found in rocky areas.
Danger to humans
New World coral snakes possess the second most potent
venomSnake venom is highly modified saliva that is produced by special glands of certain species of snakes. The gland which secretes the zootoxin is a modification of the parotid salivary gland of other vertebrates, and is usually situated on each side of the head below and behind the eye, invested in...
of any North American snake, behind some
rattlesnakeRattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes, genera Crotalus and Sistrurus. They belong to the subfamily of venomous snakes known commonly as pit vipers.-Overview:...
species. However, few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature and the fact they generally inhabit sparsely populated areas. When confronted by humans, coral snakes will almost always attempt to flee, and bite only as a last resort. In addition, coral snakes have short
fangFang is a mammal's canine tooth.Fang may also refer to:* A snake's poison-injecting tooth: see snake venom* The Fang people of Central Africa* The Fang language spoken by these people...
s (proteroglyph dentition) that cannot penetrate thick leather clothing. Any skin penetration, however, is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Coral snakes have a powerful
neurotoxinA neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells , usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels.Some sources are more general, and define the effect of neurotoxins as occurring at nerve tissue...
that paralyzes the breathing muscles; mechanical or artificial respiration, along with large doses of antivenom, are often required to save a victim's life. There is usually only mild pain associated with a bite, but breathing difficulties and
ptosisPtosis refers to droopiness of any body part. Specifically, it can refer to:* Ptosis * Ptosis * Nephroptosis * Gastroptosis...
can occur within hours.
Genus Leptomicrurus
- Guyana
Guyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean.Guyana was discovered in 1498 by the Europeans,Guyana's past is punctuated by battles fought and won,...
Blackback Coral blaaaa Leptomicrurus collaris - northern South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
.
- Leptomicrurus collaris collaris (Schlegel
Hermann Schlegel was a German ornithologist.-Early life and education:Schlegel was born at Altenburg, the son of a brassfounder. His father collected butterflies, which stimulated Schlegel's interest in natural history...
, 1837)
- Leptomicrurus collaris breviventris (Roze & Bernal-Carlo, 1987)
- Andes/Andean Blackback Coral Snake, Leptomicrurus narduccii
- Leptomicrurus narduccii narduccii (Jan, 1863)
- Leptomicrurus narduccii melanotus (Peters
Wilhelm Karl Hartwich Peters was a German naturalist and explorer.He was assistant to Johannes Peter Müller and later curator of the Berlin Zoological Museum. In September 1842 he travelled to Mozambique via Angola. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens...
, 1881)
Genus Micruroides
- Arizona
The State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
Coral Snake, Micruroides euryxanthus - lowland regions from ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
to SinaloaSinaloa is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located in the northwestern part of the country. The state is bordered to the north by Sonora and Chihuahua; to the south, by Nayarit; to the east by Durango, and to the west, across the Gulf of California, Baja California Sur. The state extends...
.
- Micruroides euryxanthus australis (Zweifel & Norris, 1955)
- Micruroides euryxanthus euryxanthus (Kennicott
Robert Kennicott was an American naturalist.-Biography:Kennicott was born in New Orleans and grew up in "West Northfield" , Illinois, a town north of the then nascent city of Chicago....
, 1860)
- Micruroides euryxanthus neglectus (Roze, 1967)
Genus Micrurus
- Allen's Coral Snake, Micrurus alleni - eastern Nicaragua
Nicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democratic republic. It is the largest country in Central America with an area of 130,373 km
2. The country is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west of...
, Costa RicaCosta Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.Costa Rica, which translates literally as "Rich Coast", constitutionally...
, and PanamaPanama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the...
.
- Micrurus alleni alleni (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus alleni richardi (Taylor
Edward Harrison Taylor was an American herpetologist from Kansas.He was born in Maysville, Missouri and studied at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, graduating with a B.A. in 1912. Subsequently, he went to the Philippines, where at first he held a teacher's post in a village in central...
, 1951)
- Micrurus alleni yatesi (Taylor
Edward Harrison Taylor was an American herpetologist from Kansas.He was born in Maysville, Missouri and studied at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, graduating with a B.A. in 1912. Subsequently, he went to the Philippines, where at first he held a teacher's post in a village in central...
, 1954)
- Micrurus altirostris (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1860) - BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
, UruguayUruguay , is a country located in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to 3.46 million people, of whom 1.1 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88–94% of the population are of mostly European and/or mixed descent.Uruguay's only land border is...
, and northeastern ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
.
- Regal Coral Snake, Micrurus ancoralis - southeastern Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the...
, western ColombiaColombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
, and western EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
- Micrurus ancoralis jani (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus ancoralis ancoralis (Jan, 1872)
- Annellated Coral Snake, Micrurus annellatus - southeastern Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
, eastern PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
, BoliviaBolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
, and western BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
.
- Micrurus annellatus annellatus (Peters
Wilhelm Karl Hartwich Peters was a German naturalist and explorer.He was assistant to Johannes Peter Müller and later curator of the Berlin Zoological Museum. In September 1842 he travelled to Mozambique via Angola. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens...
, 1871)
- Micrurus annellatus balzanii (Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1898)
- Micrurus annellatus bolivianus (Roze, 1967)
- Black-headed Coral Snake, Micrurus averyi (Schmidt, 1939)
- Micrurus bernadi (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1887) - MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
- Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
ian Coral Snake, Micrurus bocourti (Jan, 1872) - western EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
to northern ColombiaColombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
,
- Bogert's Coral Snake, Micrurus bogerti (Roze, 1967) - Oaxaca
The Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located in the southern part of the country, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec...
.
- Brown's Coral Snake, Micrurus browni - Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo is a state of Mexico, on the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. It borders the States of Yucatán and Campeche to the north and west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the nation of Belize to the south...
to HondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was formerly known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras...
.
- Micrurus browni browni (Schmidt & Smith
Hobart Muir Smith is an American herpetologist. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptile and amphibian, as well, he has been honored by having a species blackhead snake named after him, Tantilla hobartsmithi.- Education :Smith attained his bachelor of...
, 1943)
- Micrurus browni importunus (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus browni Taylori (Schmidt & Smith
Hobart Muir Smith is an American herpetologist. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptile and amphibian, as well, he has been honored by having a species blackhead snake named after him, Tantilla hobartsmithi.- Education :Smith attained his bachelor of...
, 1943)
- Micrurus camilae (Renjifo & Lundberg, 2003) - Colombia
Colombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
.
- Catamayo Coral Snake, Micrurus catamayensis (Roze, 1989) - Catamayo Valley of Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador , literally, "Republic of the equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America that...
.
- Clark's Coral Snake, Micrurus clarki (Schmidt, 1936) - southeastern Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.Costa Rica, which translates literally as "Rich Coast", constitutionally...
to western ColombiaColombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
.
- Painted Coral Snake, Micrurus corallinus (Merrem
Blasius Merrem was a German naturalist.Merrem was born at Bremen, and studied at the university of Göttingen under Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. He developed an interest in zoology, particularly ornithology...
, 1820)
- Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
ian Coral Snake, Micrurus decoratus (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus diana (Roze, 1983
- Variable Coral Snake, Micrurus diastema
- Micrurus diastema diastema (Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril....
, & DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854)
- Micrurus diastema aglaeope (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1859)
- Micrurus diastema alienus (Werner
Franz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1903)
- Micrurus diastema affinis (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus diastema apiatus (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus diastema macdougalli (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus diastema sapperi (Werner
Franz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1903)
- Pygmy Coral Snake, Micrurus dissoleucus
- Micrurus dissoleucus dissoleucus (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1860)
- Micrurus dissoleucus dunni (Barbour
Thomas Barbour was an American herpetologist. From 1927 until 1946, he was director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz at Harvard University in Cambrdge, Massachusetts.-Life and career:...
, 1923)
- Micrurus dissoleucus melanogenys (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1860)
- Micrurus dissoleucus meridensis (Roze, 1989)
- Micrurus dissoleucus nigrirostris (Schmidt, 1955)
- West Mexican
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Coral Snake, Micrurus distans
- Micrurus distans distans (Kennicott
Robert Kennicott was an American naturalist.-Biography:Kennicott was born in New Orleans and grew up in "West Northfield" , Illinois, a town north of the then nascent city of Chicago....
, 1860)
- Micrurus distans michoacanensis (Duges, 1891)
- Micrurus distans oliveri (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus distans zweifeli (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus dumerilii
- Micrurus dumerili antioquiensis (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus dumerili carinicaudus (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus carinicauda (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus dumerili colombianus (Griffin, 1916)
- Micrurus dumerili transandinus (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus dumerili venezuelensis (Roze, 1989)
- Elegant Coral Snake, Micrurus elegans
- Micrurus elegans elegans (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus elegans veraepacis (Schmidt, 1933)
- Oaxaca
The Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located in the southern part of the country, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec...
n Coral Snake, Micrurus ephippifer
- Micrurus ephippifer zapotecus (Roze, 1989)
- Micrurus ephippifer ephippifer (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1886)
- Slender Coral Snake, Micrurus filiformis
- Micrurus filiformis filiformis (Günther
Albrecht Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS October 3, 1830 – February 1 1914, was a German-born British zoologist....
, 1859)
- Micrurus filiformis subtilis (Roze, 1967)
- Southern Coral Snake, Micrurus frontalis - Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
to northeastern ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
.
- Micrurus frontalis frontalis (Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril....
, & DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854)
- Micrurus frontalis brasiliensis (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus frontalis mesopotamicus (Barrio & Miranda 1967)
- Bolivia
Bolivia, officially Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west....
n Coral Snake, Micrurus frontifasciatus (WernerFranz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1927)
- Eastern Coral Snake, Micrurus fulvius
Micrurus fulvius is a venomous elapid snake that is found in the southeastern United States. It should not be confused with the scarlet snake or scarlet kingsnake , which are harmless mimics...
(LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
, 1766) - coastal plains of North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
to LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
- Hemprich's Coral Snake, Micrurus hemprichii
- Micrurus hemprichii hemprichii (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus hemprichii ortoni (Schmidt, 1953)
- Micrurus hemprichii rondonianus (Roze & Da Silva, 1990)
- Mayan Coral Snake, Micrurus hippocrepis (Peters
Wilhelm Karl Hartwich Peters was a German naturalist and explorer.He was assistant to Johannes Peter Müller and later curator of the Berlin Zoological Museum. In September 1842 he travelled to Mozambique via Angola. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens...
, 1862)
- Caatinga Coral Snake, Micrurus ibiboboca (Merrem
Blasius Merrem was a German naturalist.Merrem was born at Bremen, and studied at the university of Göttingen under Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. He developed an interest in zoology, particularly ornithology...
, 1820)
- Venezuela
Venezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
Coral Snake, Micrurus isozonus (CopeEdward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1860)
- Langsdorff's Coral Snake, Micrurus langsdorffi
- Micrurus langsdorffi langsdorffi (Wagler
Johann Georg Wagler was a German herpetologist.Wagler was assistant to Johann Baptist von Spix, and became Director of the Zoological Museum at the University of Munich after Spix's death in 1826...
, 1824)
- Micrurus langsdorffi ornatissimus (Jan, 1858)
- Balsan Coral Snake, Micrurus laticollaris
- Micrurus laticollaris laticollaris (Peters
Wilhelm Karl Hartwich Peters was a German naturalist and explorer.He was assistant to Johannes Peter Müller and later curator of the Berlin Zoological Museum. In September 1842 he travelled to Mozambique via Angola. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens...
, 1870)
- Micrurus laticollaris maculirostris (Roze, 1967)
- Broad-ringed Coral Snake, Micrurus latifasciatus (Schmidt, 1933)
- South American Coral Snake, Micrurus lemniscatus - most of low lying areas of South America
South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
.
- Micrurus lemniscatus lemniscatus (Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
, 1758)
- Micrurus lemniscatus carvalhoi (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus lemniscatus diutius (Burger, 1955)
- Micrurus lemniscatus frontifasciatus (Werner
Franz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1927)
- Micrurus lemniscatus helleri (Schmidt & Schmidt, 1925)
- Tuxtlan Coral Snake, Micrurus limbatus
- Micrurus limbatus limbatus (Fraser, 1964)
- Micrurus limbatus spilosomus (Perez-Higaredo & Smith
Hobart Muir Smith is an American herpetologist. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptile and amphibian, as well, he has been honored by having a species blackhead snake named after him, Tantilla hobartsmithi.- Education :Smith attained his bachelor of...
, 1990)
- Speckled Coral Snake, Micrurus margaritiferus (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus medemi (Roze, 1967)
- Mertens' Coral Snake, Micrurus mertensi (Schmidt, 1936)
- Redtail Coral Snake, Micrurus mipartitus
- Micrurus mipartitus mipartitus (Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril....
, & DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854)
- Micrurus mipartitus anomalus (Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1896)
- Micrurus mipartitus decussatus (Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril....
, & DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854)
- Micrurus mipartitus semipartitus (Jan, 1858)
- Many-banded Coral Snake, Micrurus multifasciatus
- Micrurus multifasciatus multifasciatus (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus multifasciatus hertwigi (Werner
Franz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1897)
- Cauca Coral Snake, Micrurus multiscutatus (Rendahl & Vestergren, 1940)
- Cloud Forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a high incidence of low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and vegetation, in which...
Coral Snake, Micrurus nebularis (Roze, 1989)
- Central American Coral Snake, Micrurus nigrocinctus - Yucatan
Yucatán is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located on the north of the Yucatán Peninsula. The Yucatan peninsula includes three states: Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo; all three modern states were formerly part of the larger historic state of Yucatán in the 19th century. The state capital of...
and ChiapasChiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean.Chiapas has an area of...
to ColombiaColombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a constitutional republic in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean...
as well as western CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands , and the surrounding coasts...
islands
- Micrurus nigrocinctus babaspul (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus coibensis (Schmidt, 1936)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus divaricatus (Hallowell, 1855)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus mosquitensis (Schmidt, 1933)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus nigrocinctus (Girard
Charles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing on ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1854)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus ovandoensis (Schmidt & Smith
Hobart Muir Smith is an American herpetologist. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptile and amphibian, as well, he has been honored by having a species blackhead snake named after him, Tantilla hobartsmithi.- Education :Smith attained his bachelor of...
, 1943)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus wagneri (Mertens
Robert Mertens was a German herpetologist. The Robert Mertens' day gecko is a species named after him, and he also postulated Mertensian mimicry....
, 1941)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus yatesi (Dunn, 1942)
- Micrurus nigrocinctus zunilensis (Schmidt, 1932)
- Micrurus pacaraimae (Morata de Carvalho, 2002)
- Micrurus pachecogili (Campbell, 2000)
- Micrurus paraensis (Da Cunha & Nascimento, 1973)
- Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
vian Coral Snake, Micrurus peruvianus (Schmidt, 1936)
- Peters' Coral Snake, Micrurus petersi (Roze, 1967)
- Nayarit
Nayarit is one of Mexico’s 31 states and is located on the central west coast, bordering the Pacific Ocean. Nayarit is surrounded by the states of Sinaloa to the northwest, Durango to the north, Zacatecas to the northeast and Jalisco to the south with the Pacific Ocean bordering it to the west...
Coral Snake, Micrurus proximans (SmithHobart Muir Smith is an American herpetologist. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptile and amphibian, as well, he has been honored by having a species blackhead snake named after him, Tantilla hobartsmithi.- Education :Smith attained his bachelor of...
& Chrapliwy, 1958)
- Carib Coral Snake, Micrurus psyches
- Micrurus psyches circinalis (Duméril
André Marie Constant Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology...
, BibronGabriel Bibron was a French zoologist. He classified a number of reptile species with André Marie Constant Duméril....
& DumérilAuguste Henri André Duméril was a French zoologist. He was professor of Herpetology and Ichthyology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris from 1857. His father André Marie Constant Duméril was also a zoologist...
, 1854)
- Micrurus psyches donosoi (Hoge, Cordeiro, & Romano, 1976)
- Micrurus psyches psyches (Daudin
François Marie Daudin was a French zoologist.With legs paralyzed by childhood disease, he studied of physics and natural history, but ended up being devoted to the latter.Daudin wrote in 1799–1800...
, 1803)
- Putumayo Coral Snake, Micrurus putumayensis (Lancini, 1962)
- Micrurus pyrrhocryptus (Cope
Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of...
, 1862)
- Micrurus remotus (Roze, 1987)
- Micrurus renjifoi (Lamar, 2003)
- Roatan
Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja , is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan...
Coral Snake, Micrurus ruatanus (GüntherAlbrecht Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS October 3, 1830 – February 1 1914, was a German-born British zoologist....
, 1895)
- Santander Coral Snake, Micrurus sangilensis (Nicéforo-Maria, 1942)
- Micrurus scutiventris (Hoge, & Romano-Hoge, 1966)
- Micrurus silviae Di-Bernardo et al., 2007
- Amazon
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The basin is located mainly in Brazil, but also stretches into Peru and several other countries. The South American rain forest of the Amazon is the largest in the world, covering about...
Coral Snake, Micrurus spixii
- Micrurus spixii spixii (Wagler
Johann Georg Wagler was a German herpetologist.Wagler was assistant to Johann Baptist von Spix, and became Director of the Zoological Museum at the University of Munich after Spix's death in 1826...
, 1824)
- Micrurus spixiii martiusi (Schmidt, 1953)
- Micrurus spixii obscurus (Jan, 1872)
- Micrurus spixii princeps (Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1905)
- Micrurus spurelli (Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1914)
- Steindachner's Coral Snake, Micrurus steindachneri
- Micrurus steindachneri steindachneri (Werner
Franz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1901)
- Micrurus steindachneri orcesi (Roze, 1967)
- Panama
Panama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the...
nian Coral Snake, Micrurus stewarti (BarbourThomas Barbour was an American herpetologist. From 1927 until 1946, he was director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz at Harvard University in Cambrdge, Massachusetts.-Life and career:...
& Amaral, 1928)
- Stuart's Coral Snake, Micrurus stuarti (Roze, 1967)
- Aquatic Coral Snake, Micrurus surinamensis
- Micrurus surinamensis surinamensis (Cuvier
Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier was a French naturalist and zoologist. Of humble working class origins, he belonged to a new class of self-made scholars who worked their way to the top of academe...
, 1817)
- Micrurus surinamensis nattereri (Schmidt, 1952)
- Micrurus tamaulipensis (Lavin-Murcio & Dixon
Dr. James Ray Dixon is Professor Emeritus and Curator Emeritus of Amphibians and Reptiles at the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection at Texas A&M University. His main research focus has been the natural history of Texas amphibians and reptiles and he has authored numerous field guides and...
, 2004) - Sierra Madre OrientalThe Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico, spanning 1000 km from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico Transversal of central...
in TamaulipasTamaulipas is one of the 31 states of Mexico and is located in the central-northeastern part of the Mexican federation. It borders the the U.S. state of Texas to the north, the Gulf of Mexico to the east, Veracruz to the south, San Luis Potosí to the southwest, and Nuevo León to the west...
.
- Texas
Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
Coral Snake, Micrurus tenerThe Texas Coral Snake is a species of venomous elapid snake that is ranges the southern United States south to northeastern and central Mexico...
- TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
and LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
south to MorelosMorelos is one of the 31 constituent states of Mexico. Morelos has an area of about , making it the second-smallest of the country's states. Morelos is bordered by Mexico State to the north-east and north-west, the Federal District to the north, Puebla to the east, and Guerrero to the south-west...
and GuanajuatoGuanajuato is a state in the central highlands of Mexico. It is named after its capital city, Guanajuato, which comes from the local indigenous language, meaning “Hill of Frogs.” Las Ranas is a nickname for people from this state as frogs are their state animal...
.
- Micrurus tener fitzingeri (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus tener maculatus (Roze, 1967)
- Micrurus tener microgalbineus (Brown, & Smith
Hobart Muir Smith is an American herpetologist. He has been credited with describing several new species of North American reptile and amphibian, as well, he has been honored by having a species blackhead snake named after him, Tantilla hobartsmithi.- Education :Smith attained his bachelor of...
, 1942)
- Micrurus tener tener (Baird
Spencer Fullerton Baird was an American ornithologist and ichthyologist.-Biography:Baird was born in Reading, Pennsylvania...
, & GirardCharles Frédéric Girard was a French biologist specializing on ichthyology and herpetology.Born in Mulhouse, France, he studied at the College of Neuchâtel, Switzerland as a student of Louis Agassiz. In 1847, he accompanied Agassiz as his assistant to Harvard...
, 1853)
- Micrurus tricolor (Hoge, 1956)
- Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives almost no precipitation. Deserts are defined as areas with an average annual precipitation of less than per year, or as areas where more water is lost by evapotranspiration than falls as precipitation. In the Köppen climate classification system,...
Coral Snake, Micrurus tschudii (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus tschudii olssoni (Schmidt & Schmidt, 1925)
- Micrurus tschudii tschudii (Jan, 1858)
Mimicry
New World coral snakes are known to mimic False coral snakes, snake species whose venom is less toxic. This is a rare example of Mertensian mimicry. Species of false coral snake include:
- Erythrolamprus aesculapii
Erythrolamprus aesculapii, the False Coral, is a snake found in Amazonian South America and Trinidad and Tobago. It feeds mainly on other snakes. It has been reported that it gains some protection from predators through its mimicry of coral snakes. It is mildly venomous.-References:...
- Erythrolamprus bizona
Erythrolamprus bizona, the False Coral is a snake which is found in Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Similar in pattern to a coral snake, this species probably gains protection through mimicry.-References:...
- Erythrolamprus ocellatus
Erythrolamprus ocellatus, the Tobago False Coral is a snake which is endemic to Tobago. Unlike other Erythrolapus species, E. ocellatus is not sympatric with coral snakes and has a spotted rather than a banded pattern. It probably feeds on other snakes.-References:...
(AKA Tobago False Coral)
- Oxyrhopus petola
Oxyrhopus petola, the False Coral is a snake found in northern South America and Trinidad and Tobago. The species is rear-fanged and its saliva is extremely toxic to Anolis lizards. They feed on lizards, frogs, small rodents, birds and probably other snakes.-References:-External links:*...
- Lampropeltis pyromelana
- Chionactis palarostris
Sonoran Shovelnose Snake is a native of the Sonoran Desert. It is found only in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument of western Pima County, Arizona. It is also called the Organ-Pipe Shovelnose Snake. It is cross-banded with black, yellow and red bands...
- Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata
- Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides
- Lampropeltis triangulum amaura
- Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis
- Lampropeltis triangulum annulata
The Mexican Milk Snake is a species of milk snake native primarily to northeastern Mexico in Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Nuevo León, but it can be found as far north as the United States, in southwestern Texas....
- Lampropeltis zonata
- Cemophora coccinea
External links
Coral Snake Website