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Uruguayan Coral Snake (Micrurus altirostris)
Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: Uruguayan coral snake, boipinima, cobra-coral-pampeana, cobra-coral uraguaia, coral uraguaia, vibora de coral
Distinguishing Features
Small to medium sized, adults usually 50 to 70 cm long (max. 131 cm); a tricolored coral with 11 to 18 complete triads of black rings (bwbwb) on body, each red ring nearly as wide as each adjacent triad. Dorsal scales smooth, edges of red and black rings look "jagged" because each scale is all red (or all black). Tail rather short with less than 2 whole triads.
Geographical Range
Found in Uruguay, northeastern Argentina, southern Brazil, and possibly also in extreme southeastern Paraguay (but no specimens reported from there, yet).
Habitat
Lowland deciduous forest and open areas, like savannahs, and pampas, survives well in areas moderately altered by human activity. Found from sea level to about 400 m elevation.
Life History
Not much known, mainly terrestrial, mainly nocturnal.
Comments
Not much known for this species, but most coral snake venoms are mainly neurotoxic.