Escudo de la República de Colombia Escudo de la República de Colombia
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✎ Natalia Guzmán

✎ Natalia Guzmán

✎ Diego Aguilera

Coral Snake
Micrurus sp.Andean region

  • Generalities
  • Morpho-functionality
  • Lifecycle
  • Distribution

RECORRIDO VIRTUAL POR LA BIODIVERSIDAD DE COLOMBIA
Museo de Historia Natural
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Coral Snake
Micrurus sp.

Easily recognizable by its black, red, white, and yellow colors that warn of the possession of its powerful neurotoxic poison. Its bite can cause paralysis of the body in 30 minutes. They reach a length between 50 and 70 cm. The head is uniform black in color with large skull scales and reduced eyes. They are not aggressive and prefer to run away, however, if they are cornered, they rool and then bite. They feed on reptiles such as lizards and amphisbenids (known as blind shingles), amphibians, and cannibalism has also been reported.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the Wild

Critically Endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near Threatened

Least Concern

Not Evaluated

Data Deficient

Morpho-functionality

Coloration

Its bright coloration works as a defense mechanism (aposematic) since it warns its predators of the lethality of its poison.

Teeth

It has proteroglyphic fangs, small teeth located in the front part of the jaw, with which it injects neurotoxic venom.

HEad

It has cranial kinesis, this means that the bones of its skull can move at will, mainly when swallowing its prey.

Lifecycle

They are oviparous snakes, mating occurs between September and December, it is synchronous with both spermatogenesis and vitellogenesis, for this reason, females must store sperm in receptacles until ovulation begins in the hottest months between March and June; Egg laying occurs from late June to August. In each clutch they can place up to 15 eggs depending on the species. The eggs hatch for up to 90 days.

Coral Snake

Distribution

Presentan una amplia distribución geográfica, en Colombia se distribuyen desde el nivel del mar hasta los 2400 m. Habitan en la hojarasca de la selva tropical húmeda, bajo troncos, rocas o en madrigueras subterráneas elaboradas por otros animales.They have a wide geographical distribution, in Colombia they are distributed from sea level to 2400 m. They live in the leaf litter of the humid tropical forest, under logs, rocks or in underground burrows made by other animals.

Distribution area