Elegant Coral Snake

The Elegant coral snake is limited to southeastern Mexico and west central Guatemala.

Elegant Coral Snake (Micrurus elegans)

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: Elegant coral snake, coral elegante, coralillo, coralilla elegante, coral punteado

Distinguishing Features

Medium to large coral snake, adults usually less than 70 cm long (max. 100+ cm); Head black with incomplete white ring behind eyes. Tricolored, with black, white (or yellow) and orange rings. Usually with yellowish rings separated by very broad blackish rings, each containing 2 narrower, indistinct, whitish rings that may be irregular or broken. Adults usually with 10 to 19 complete triads of black rings on body and 4 to 12 black rings on tail alternating with yellow.

Geographical Range

Limited to southeastern Mexico and westcentral Guatemala.

Habitat

Mainly found in lower montane dry and wet forest, pine-oak forest, cloud forest, and infrequently, in tropical deciduous forest. Found at 800 to 1,850 m elevation.

Life History

Not well known. Most active at dawn, dusk, and early night, have been seen crawling in leaves during overcast days. Coral snakes usually are nonaggressive; most bites occur during attempts to capture the snake, and M. elegans reportedly is quick to bite if restrained. Terrestrial and oviparous with small clutch size (usual number of eggs not reported). Prey mainly on available lizards, invertebrates and smaller snakes.

Comments

Not much known, but venom of most species of coral snakes is mainly neurotoxic. Human bites reported, but no reported human fatalities.