Black Coral Snake

The Black Coral Snake, Calliophis nigrescens, is a species of venomous snake found in the Western Ghats of India.

Black Coral Snake (Calliophis nigrescens)

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: Black Coral Snake or Striped Coral Snake

Distinguishing Features

Dark purplish brown above, with three or five longitudinal series of black, light edged spots. The spots confluent and forming three longitudinal black bands edged with whitish. As in the preceding, but the black bands without light edges. Pale reddish brown or red above, with five block longitudinal bands. Total length 3.5 feet; tail 4 to 5 inches. This species comprises four principal colour varieties, which ore connected by insensible gradations; in all the head and nape are black, with an oblique yellow band, sometimes broken up into spots, on each side from the parietals to behind the angle of the mouth, and the upper lip is yellow in front of and behind the eye; lower parts uniform red

Geographical Range

Western Ghats, Karwar, Wayanad, Nilgiris, Anamalai and Travancore hills at 4000 to 6000 feet.

Habitat

Life History

Comments

Has been considered as a subspecies of Calliophis melanurus.