Micrurus fulvius
Micrurus fulvius | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Elapidae |
Genus: | Micrurus |
Species: | M. fulvius
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Binomial name | |
Micrurus fulvius (Linnaeus, 1766)
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Synonyms[2] | |
Micrurus fulvius, commonly known as the eastern coral snake,
Description
M. fulvius is generally less than 80 cm (31 in) in total length (including tail). The maximum reported total lengths are 121.8 cm (48.0 in) for a specimen in Florida (Neill, 1958) and 129.5 cm (51.0 in) (Roze, 1996). Males have longer tails than females, but females reach a greater total length.[2]
The
The color pattern consists of a series of rings that encircle the body: wide red and black rings separated by narrow yellow rings. The head is black from the rostral scale to just behind the eyes. This snake commonly has a black snout as well as black eyes and then a yellow band on the back half of their head behind the eyes. [6] The red rings are usually speckled with black.[3] People who live in its natural range are often taught a folk rhyme as children such as: "Red next to black, safe from attack; red next to yellow, you're a dead fellow," or "Red touching black, friend of Jack; red touching yellow, you're a dead fellow", or simply "red and yellow kill a fellow".[7] These rhymes are useful in teaching children to distinguish king snakes (Lampropeltis ssp.), which are considered helpful predators of vermin such as rats and mice, from the venomous coral snake, which should only be handled by an experienced biologist or herpetologist. However, this rhyme is only applicable to the United States species, and cannot be used reliably in the Caribbean, or Central or South America.
Common names
Among the many common names for M. fulvius are eastern coral snake,[3] American cobra, candy-stick snake, common coral snake, coral adder, Elaps harlequin snake, Florida coral snake, harlequin coral snake, North American coral snake, red bead snake, thunder-and-lightning snake,[4][2] and, in Spanish, serpiente-coralillo arlequín (literally "harlequin coral snake").[5]
Geographic range
M. fulvius is found in the Southeastern United States from southeastern
Habitat
M. fulvius occurs in upland
Feeding
M. fulvius eats lizards, birds, frogs, fish, insects, and smaller snakes, including other coral snakes.[3][9][10] M. fulvius will attack the head of its prey first in order to envenomate it.[11] M. fulvius will hold on to the prey until it becomes paralyzed. After the prey is paralyzed the snake will consume it.[11]
Reproduction
Females of M. fulvius are reported to lay three to 12 eggs in June that hatch in September. Neonates are 18–23 cm (7.1–9.1 in) in length.[3] Males mature 11–16 months after hatching while females mature approximately 26 months after hatching. Adult females are typically larger than males.[12]
Ecology
Behavior
Coral snakes spend most of their time underground (fossoriality) or sheltering under suitable objects, but can be active on the surface during the day in early spring or at other times when rainfall has saturated the ground. They appear not to be generally surface active at night. Coral snakes are largely diurnal making night sightings rare[13] Males are most active in the late fall or early spring, when they search for mates, and females are most active in late summer and throughout the fall, when they search for prey that will allow them to build energy reserves for the next season's reproductive effort. Coral snakes will attempt to escape if discovered, and individuals may engage in complex defensive behavior if prevented from doing so. This includes hiding the head beneath the body coils, mimicking the head with their tail (for example, crawling backward and striking with the tail), erratic body movements, and death feigning. Other individuals can be touchy, and will readily bite if restrained in any way.[14]
Venom
The venom of M. fulvius is a potent neurotoxin with a median
M. fulvius bites and fatalities are very rare. Only two documented fatalities were attributed to this species in the 1950s, and only one has been reported since
M. fulvius does not account for many cases of snakebite in the U.S., with only about 100 bites each year.
Wyeth discontinued the manufacture of coral snake antivenin in 2010, citing a lack of profitability.[18] Pfizer has also decided to halt production of its antivenin for similar reasons (see Coral snake antivenom shortage). As of July 2021,[update] Pfizer indicates that antivenom is available[22] and one source states that production has resumed.[23]
Taxonomy
References
- ^ . Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Micrurus fulvius, p. 681 + Plates 617, 618).
- ^ ISBN 0-8014-0463-0. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 890–897, Map 63, Figures 256–257).
- ^ a b "Micrurus fulvius". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 12 December 2006.
- ^ Filoramo, N. I., & Schwenk, K. (2009). The mechanism of chemical delivery to the vomeronasal organs in squamate reptiles: a comparative morphological approach. Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological genetics and physiology, 311(1), 20–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.492
- ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 434–435, Figure 196 + Plate 44).
- ^ Archis JN, Akcali C, Stuart BL, Kikuchi D, Chunco AJ. 2018. Is the future already here? The impact of climate change on the distribution of the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) PeerJ 6:e4647 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4647
- ^ "Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius". National Geographic: Animals. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ^ "Micrurus fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake, Harlequin Coralsnake)". Animal Diversity Web.
- ^ OCLC 18024643.
- JSTOR 3891805.
- ISSN 0098-7484.
- ISBN 978-0-292-71967-5.[page needed]
- ^ "Micrurus fulvius | snakeDB.org". Snakedatabase.org. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ Szalay, Jessie (16 December 2014). "Coral Snakes: Colors, Bites, Farts & Facts". Live Science.
- ^ PMID 19673084.
- ^ a b Derene, Glenn. (10 May 2010). "Cost of Antivenom Production Creates Shortages". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ISSN 0098-7484.
- ^ "Snake Bites". Survive Outdoors. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
- ^ "Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
- ^ "Antivenin (Micrurus fulvius equine origin) North American Coral Snake Antivenin". Pfizer Hospital US. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ Greene, Spencer (9 April 2021). Alcock, Joe (ed.). "What is the treatment for coral snake envenomation?". Medscape. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021. in Snakebite~questions-and-answers at eMedicine
- PMID 22938699.
Further reading
- Conant, Roger; Bridges, William (1939). What Snake Is That?: A Field Guide to the Snakes of the United States East of the Rocky Mountains. (With 108 drawings by Edmond Malnate). New York and London: D. Appleton-Century Company. Frontispiece map + viii + 163 pp. + Plates A-C, 1–32. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 133–135 + Plate 26, figure 76).
- Hubbs, Brian; O'Connor, Brendan (2012). A Guide to the Rattlesnakes and other Venomous Serpents of the United States. Tempe, Arizona: Tricolor Books.129 pp. ISBN 978-0-9754641-3-7. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 91–92).
- Linnaeus C (1766). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Duodecima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 532 pp. (Coluber fulvius, new species, p. 381). (in Latin).
- Morris, Percy A. (1948). Boy's Book of Snakes: How to Recognize and Understand Them. (A volume of the Humanizing Science Series, edited by Jaques Cattell). New York: Ronald Press. viii + 185 pp. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 117–119, 180).
- Schmidt, Karl P.; Davis, D. Dwight (1941). Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 274–276, Figure 90 + Plate 6).
- ISBN 0-307-47009-1(hardcover). (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 196–197).
- Zim HS, Smith HM (1956). Reptiles and Amphibians: A Guide to Familiar American Species: A Golden Nature Guide. New York: Simon and Schuster. 160 pp. (Micrurus fulvius, pp. 108, 156).
- Tennant, Alan (1997). A Field Guide to Snakes of Florida. Texas: Gulf Publishing Company. 257 pp. ISBN 0-87719-291-X(paperback). (Eastern Coral Snake, pp. 141, 207-209)
- Bartlett, R.D.; Bartlett, Patricia (2003). Florida's Snakes: A Guide to Their Identification and Habits. Korea: University Press of Florida. 256 pp. ISBN 978-0-8130-2636-7(paperback). (Eastern Coral Snake, pp. 151-152)
External links
- Micrurus fulvius at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database Accessed 14 December 2020.
- Eastern Coral Snake at Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History. Accessed 20 December 2006.
- Eastern Coral Snake, Micrurus fulvius at Georgia Museum of Natural History. Accessed 20 December 2006.
- Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius at Davidson College, Biology Department. Accessed 20 December 2006.
- Eastern Coral Snake at Yale Herpetology Page. Accessed 20 December 2006.
- Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius at Snakes of South Carolina and Georgia. Accessed 20 December 2006.