July 2006
THE CORAL SNAKE
Order
Family
Genus and species
Squamata
Elapidae
Micrurus fulvius fulvius
Coral snakes are members of the Elapidae
family of serpents and are one of two families of
venomous snakes which are native to North
America....the second family being the Crotalinae,
or pit vipers. Members of the pit
viper group include the rattlesnake, the water moccasin,
the
copperhead and the fer-de-lance.
There is only one member of the Elapidae, the coral
snake.
There are two types of coral snakes which
are found in North America: 1.
The Eastern coral,
found along the southern and lower eastern coasts of the United States...from
the Carolinas to
Texas, and 2. The
Western coral which is found in Arizona, parts of New Mexico and
down
into the upper regions of Mexico. They live in a variety
of environments from dry areas to the
wetlands located near the edges of swamps
Both species are very similar in appearance. Each
species has a black snout followed by a
light-colored ring, but the third section is
where there is a distinct difference. The eastern
coral snake has a broad black band located
there, while the western coral's coloration is
a reddish color. The yellow bands
on the western coral ( Micruroides )
are lighter than the
eastern coral snake ( Micrurus
) but are otherwise very similar looking. Their diets are also
very similar. Both species feed on lizards,
small snakes, frogs and other small amphibians.
Both species also are secretive and are rarely seen out in the open
and even though they are
venomous, they will rarely bite unless stepped on or handled.
Their bite is rarely fatal but
can cause swelling, pain and discomfort. The
bite of the rattlesnake is much more dangerous.
Even though the coral snake's venom is not considered lethal,
immediate medical attention
should be sought.
Venom from poisonous snakes vary according to the family and species.
Coral snakes from
the Elapidae family have venom which is neurotoxic
in nature...that is, it affects the nervous system,
which in turn affects the ability to breath. These snakes are
relatively small as compared to other
poisonous snakes. The eastern coral is
around 20-30 inches long...the western coral
is slightly
smaller at 15-18 inches long. After
mating, from 1-3 eggs are laid in one of the
many burrows
which coral snakes dig. These burrows afford protection from
predators and are used not only
for concealment but also for crawling into to escape hot days.
Since snakes are cold blooded,
they must use their outside environment to either lower or raise their
body temperature. After a
90 day gestation period, the eggs hatch and the
baby snakes,( around 6-7 inches long at birth)
crawl out of their shells to a wide, new, and curious world.
The lifespan of coral snakes is not
known.
The western coral snake is shown in the above graphic. As previously
stated, they are similar
to the eastern corals but have lighter yellow
bands and slightly different coloration. There are
snakes which closely resemble the coral and, therefore, are afforded
the respect and distance
of their more lethal brethren. In the graphic below, the
king snake is often mistaken for the coral,
but a closer inspection shows an entirely different coloration.
The color rings of the king snake
are narrow and closer together than either the
western or the eastern coral snake. The
king snake
is harmless. If ever in doubt as to the
whether a ringed snake is dangerous or not...just remember
this rhyme: 'If red touches yellow, it
can kill a fellow' (coral snake)...'If red touches black, it is a
friend of Jack' (scarlet king snake or scarlet
snake)
Located below, shaded in red, is the range of both the eastern and western coral snakes.
Check back next month for August's "Creature of the Month" The Swallowtail Butterfly.