Eastern Coral Snake

(Micrurus fulvius)
Subspecies: Eastern, Texas

Description:

22-47 1/2" (55.9-120.7 cm). Body encircled by wide red and black rings separated by narrow yellow rings. Head uniformly black from tip of blunt snout to just behind eyes. Red rings usually spotted with black. Scales smooth and shiny, in 15 rows. Anal plate divided.

Breeding:

Reportedly lays 3-12 eggs in June; young hatch in September, at 7-9" (18-23 cm).

Habitat:

Moist, densely vegetated hammocks near ponds or streams in hardwood forests; pine flatwoods; rocky hillsides and canyons.

Range:

Se. North Carolina to s. Florida and Key Largo, west to s Texas and Mexico.

Subspecies:

Eastern (M. f. fulvius), black dotting in red rings fuses into pair of spots on back into a single spot on belly; se. North Carolina to s. Florida, west to Mississippi River.

Texas (M. f. tenere), random black spots in red rings; s. Arkansas, w. Louisiana, s. Texas into ne. Mexico.

Do not confuse this venomous species with its harmless mimics--the Scarlet Snake and Scarlet Kingsnake. Usually seen under rotting logs or leaves or moving on surface in early morning or late afternoon. Feeds on small snakes or lizards.

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page