Steindachner's Coral Snake

The Steindachner's coral snake is limited to eastern slopes of the Andes in central Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

Steindachner's Coral Snake (Micrurus steindachneri)

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: Steindachner's coral snake, coral de Steindachner

Distinguishing Features

Medium sized, tricolored coral snake, adults usually 55 to 70 cm long (max. 88 cm). Snout and top of head all black. Dorsal pattern tricolored but subdued; alternating relatively wide reddish rings and 22 to 42 black rings, separated by much narrower yellowish rings (rybyr), yellow rings often just a row of spots across body, red rings often melanistic dorsally. Tail with 4 to 12 black rings, sometimes looks "all black" dorsally. Known from only a few (mainly preserved) specimens.

Geographical Range

Limited to eastern slopes of the Andes in central Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

Habitat

Mainly found in lower montane wet forest and cloud forest, mainly from about 650 to 2,000 m elevation.

Life History

Not much known. Probably mainly nocturnal or crepuscular and terrestrial (reportedly does burrow in loose soil and leaf litter). Reportedly not aggressive, and raises tail when disturbed. Probably oviparous (clutch size not reported). Probably preys on available other snakes, lizards, amphibians & possibly some invertebrates (at least when young).

Comments

Not much known. Probably has mainly neurotoxic venom (like most other species of coral snakes), which can be injected through a pair of grooved, fixed, upper front fangs. Due to their relatively small mouths, coral snakes' bites to humans usually occur on a finger or toe, and usually during a victim's attempts to catch or molest the snake. No serious envenomations or deaths of humans reported as due to bites by this species, so far.