Taxonomic History
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Micrurus
Species: Micrurus fulvius fulvius
Species designation of fulvius fulvius within
the genus Micrurus is currently hotly debated.
Originally classified as Micrurus fulvius by Linnaeus in 1766.
Southern populations of M. fulvius were once recognized
as a separate species called M. fitzingeri, which is included now as a
subspecies of M. fulvius.
The subspecies tener was also cited as a separate species
by Collins in 1991. This was due to the opinion that any
allopatric subspecies in some way morphologically
distinct is considered a separate species. Dowling
in 1993 and others cited by Dowling rejected the Collins
taxonomic classifications, and they provided taxonomic classifications
based on data coming from an
examination of specimens. Previously a simple examination of
inaccurate range maps and old
subspecies descriptions provided the material
for species classification. (Collazo, 2002)
Taxonomic summary as follows:
Micrurus fulvius fulvius Linnaeus, 1766
Coluber fulvius Linnaeus, 1766: 381
Elaps fulvius Fitzinger, 1826:61
Vipera fulvia Harlan, 1827:364
Elaps fulvius Baird & Girard, 1853: 21
Elaps fulvius Dumeril & Bibron, 1854: 1215
Elaps fulvius Boulenger, 1896
Micrurus fulvius Stejneger and Barbour, 1917:106
Type location is Charleston,
S.C. in the United States by Schmidt (1953).
Holotype is not located,
probably female, and collected by D. Garden, no date.
Micrurus fulvius fulvius Conant & Collins, 1991: 224
Micrurus fulvius fulvius Welch, 1994: 83
(Ernst & Barbour, 1989; Uetz, 2002)
Species Description
Physical length: 20-30 inches(51-76cm); average 60cm; record 47.5 inches(120.7cm).
This snake species shows
sexual dimorphism, as males are usually 45 cm longer.(King, 1999)
Physical description: Eastern Coral snake is characterized by red and yellow rings which touch
which encircle the entire body. The end of the snout is black with a
yellow parietal band and a
black nuchal band on head. Head is ventrally colored yellow or white.
Black ring on the neck separated from the parietal scutes along with red rings containing black
spots are found. Some species found in Florida may lack dark spots on the red rings. Males have
10-27 black bands and females have 12-26.
Anal plate is divided.
Hemipenis is 12-14 subcaudal scales in length. It is bifurcated at the 8th subcaudal with each fork
tapering toward the apex. Each fork ends in spiny papillae.
As characteristic of Elapid snakes, the Eastern Coral snake has permanent, erect, hollow proteroglyphous
fangs near the front of the maxillae. The venom duct is not attached to the fang directly but enters
a small cavity in the gum above the entrance lumen of the gum.
The males have 185-217 ventrals and 36-47 pairs of subcaudals. Females have 205-232 ventrals and 26-38 pairs of subcaudals.
(Roze & Tilger, 1983)
Also, pupils are round and dark. Scales are smooth. No loreal pits are found near mouth.(King, 1999)
Lifespan: Body size doubles in
less than 2 years. Natural longevity is unknown
although longest lifespan recorded is 7 years.(Ernst & Barbour, 1989)
Several harmless snakes have color patterns similar to
coral snakes. A coral snake always has a blunt black snout and red,
yellow, and black rings that completely encircle its body. Yellow ring
on both sides of every red ring is found on venomous corals.
Remember: "Red touch
yellow, kill a fellow." Harmless Scarlet Kingsnakes, a type of Milk
Snake, resembles the coral snake but has a red snout. The red and
yellow rings are separated by black rings: "Red touch black, friend of
Jack." Nonvenomous Scarlet Snakes have rings that do not completely
encircle its body. The belly is white, the
snout is red and pointed, and the red areas are ringed in black, unlike corals.
(King, 1999)
Head scalation:
Biogeography
Reproductive Behavior
Feeding Mechanism and Diet
Lifestyle
Conservation
Useful Links
Fort Matanzas National Monument.
Georgia Museum of Natural History.
Myherp.com.
Reptiles and Amphibians
University of Georgia.
Heidelberg University
Photo Credits
Courtesy of Wayne King.
Dorsal a rostral, 2 internasals, 2 prefrontals, a frontal, 2 parietals,
2 supraoculars
Lateral a preocular, 2 nasals, 2 postoculars, 1+1 temporals, 7 supralabials
There are no loreal nor subocular scales.
(Ernst & Barbour, 1983)
Eastern Coral snakes are found in the lowlands of southern North Carolina to southern Florida and Key Largo. They are
also found west through the Gulf States to western central Mississippi and Louisiana. They are not present in
the delta region of lower Mississippi Valley areas. There is a population in central Alabama.
The other subspecies of Micrurus fulvius extend into
Louisiana, Texas, and parts of Mexico.(Ernst & Barbour, 1989)
Mating is during the spring and also in autumn. The snakes are aggressive toward each other, and
fighting may ensue.
2-13 elongate eggs develop and are laid in underground
cavities and in logs from May to July.
Females mature usually after 2 years after they have reached a snout-vent length of 55cm.
Ovarian follicles reach preovulatory size around June.
Males mature sexually in less than two years after reaching a snout vent length of 40.2cm.
Active spermatogenesis occurs from August to April.
The Eastern Coral snake gestation period is 70 to 90 days, hatching in August or September.(Ernst & Barbour, 1989)
Young have similar pattern and color morphology as adults with length ranging from
18-23cm when hatching.(Conant & Collins, 1998)
The Eastern Coral snake eats several lizard and smaller snake species including members of its own species.
Also, birds, frogs, fish, and insects are included in its diet. Random head pokes into leaf and
other vegetation debris is used to search for prey.(Ernst & Barbour, 1989)
The coral snake venom is injected using a pair of small, fixed, hollow fangs
on the anterior of the mouth. The chewing motion passes the venom into its victim.
In order to attain significant passage of venom, the snake must hold onto its victim for a brief period.
Coral snake venoms have significant neurotoxins causing
neuromuscular dysfunction. There is no appreciable enzymatic activity
or necrotic potential compared to vipers and pit vipers.(Norris, 2001)
The coral snake is found during the daytime and in the morning. They are most active
during early evening and morning. Often they are found in wooded or marshy
macro-habitats. These snakes inhabit the soil, logs, or leaf and debris piles. It also
makes pine and scrub oak forests with sandy soils its micro-habitat. They are semi-fossorial.
This species is secretive and solitary. Even when breeding they can be aggressive towards each other.
(King, 1999)
The coral snake is often imitated in nature by various snakes. The coral snake is venomous, and its imitators
are nonvenomous. Many species have the red, black, and yellow or white rings of the coral snake.
These imitators, however, all have a black ring separating the red from yellow. If the red and yellow bands
touch, the snake is the venomous Eastern Coral. Some imitators include the Scarlet snake, the Scarlet Kingsnake, and
several Milk snake species. (King, 1999)
Coral snakes are shy and bites are uncommon.
Most coral snakes bites are due to direct handling, and bites often occur in the active season for
the snakes in spring or fall.
The Eastern Coral has one of the most powerful venoms found in snakes. Included in this family are other notoriously venomous
snakes such as the cobras, mambas, and sea snakes. Still,
it produces less than venom per snake than that of most vipers or pit vipers.
Because of the relatively primitive venom delivery method of the Eastern Coral,
as many as 60% of those bitten may go unaffected.
The Eastern Coral is able to swings its tail and mimic its head movements.
This serves as a defense mechanism. It will also make a popping sound with
its vent lining.(Norris, 2001)
It is important to keep the Coral snake population preserved. The Coral snake is a marvel of coloration
morphology and is well worth the effort to maintain these beautiful creatures in the wild. It is found
in marshy and wooded areas, so deforestation and pollution of nearby streams and marshes from
industrial or roadside runoff would be detrimental to the population. Fortunately, it is not included in
endangered or threatened species lists.
Venomous snakes offer uses in medical research and has benefited people
in blood pressure medicine. Venom was developed for monitoring blood pressure
using the chemical pattern of snake venom as a guide. Other techniques
include using snake poisons to treat blood and heart problems and
control harmful bacteria in humans.(Shannon, 1999)
Many Eastern Coral snakes control snake and lizard populations
including venomous ones, that are considered pests. The Eastern Coral
can pests at a reasonable level because these snakes can capture pests
in areas small for larger predators.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/FOMA/mfulvius.htm
http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/gawildlife/reptiles/squamata/serpentes/elapidae/mfulvius.html
http://www.myherp.com/articles/species%20spotlight/coral.htm
http://www.snakesandfrogs.com/scra/snakes/coral.htm
http://www.uga.edu/~srelherp/snakes/coral.htm
http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/~uetz/LivingReptiles.html
Courtesy of American Museum of Natural History
and Carl S. Lieb