Slender Coral Snake

The Slender coral snake is found in southern Colombia, northern Brazil, northern Peru, eastern Ecuador.

Slender Coral Snake (Micrurus filiformis)

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: Slender coral snake, cobra-coral, cobra-coral-fina, naca-naca

Distinguishing Features

Small to medium sized, very slender, tricolored coral snake, adults usually 30 to 55 cm long (max. 96 cm). Front of head black, interrupted by a white ring just in front of eyes; rear of head and neck red. Dorsal pattern of broad red rings separated by a series of 12 to 20 black triads each including a pair of very thin white rings (rbwbwbr) and tail with 1 1/3 to 2 2/3 triads.

Geographical Range

Southern Colombia, northern Brazil, northern Peru, eastern Ecuador.

Habitat

Mainly found in lower montane wet forests, gallery forest, and primary and secondary lowland rainforest, usually near waterways. Found up to 400 m elevation. Probably also present in southern parts of French Guiana, Guyana, and Venezuela, but no specimens confirmed yet from those areas.

Life History

Mainly nocturnal and terrestrial (also burrows in loose substrate and enters water). Locally common around human habitation. Will defend itself aggressively. Will flatten itself, raise and curl its tail, then strike and bite violently while thrashing from side to side with such force that it sometimes raises itself off the ground. Oviparous (probably less than 15 eggs in a clutch, but not reported) and prey on locally available invertebrates, lizards, etc.

Comments

Not much known. Venoms of most species of coral snakes have very potent neurotoxic venom which can be injected through a pair of grooved, fixed front fangs. Due to their small mouths, coral snake bites to humans usually occur on a toe or finger.