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MacClelland's Coral Snake (Sinomicrurus macclellandi)
Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: MacClelland's Coral Snake
Distinguishing Features
It is a small snake, about 40 to 80 centimetres (16 to 31 in) in length. It has a thin, reddish-brown body, with thin, black cross bars, and a creamy white belly. The head is small, round and black in color, with a broad, creamy white transverse band, and black outlines at the middle of the head. Body scales are smooth, and arranged in 13 parallel longitudinal midbody dorsal scales.
Geographical Range
It is found in Northern India (Assam, Sikkim, Darjeeling; Arunachal Pradesh (Deban - Changlang district, Chessa, Chimpu - Papum Pare district), Nepal, N Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam, Central and Southern China (including Hong Kong, Hainan, north to Gansu and Shaanxi), Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Taiwan.
Habitat
It occurs in forest litter, hillside, and lowland. It is often found hiding under leaves.
Life History
It is mainly nocturnal and terrestrial. Although this is a venomous species, it is quite docile and not likely to strike actively. It preys on small reptiles, such as lizards and snakes.
Comments
Like other elapidae, it possesses a potent neurotoxic venom, which is capable of killing a person. Bite symptoms include numbness of lips and difficulty of speech and breathing, followed by blurred vision. Severe bite victims may die of respiratory failure, although there have been only a few human deaths recorded in Thailand.