Redtail Coralsnake

Micrurus mipartitus (red-tailed coral snake or many-banded coral snake) is a species of coral snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Central America and northern South America. The red-tailed coral snake is common in agricultural areas in Colombia. Its highly neurotoxic venom is known to cause seizures in its prey by activating nerve proteins responsible for seizures within it.

Subspecies

Five subspecies are recognized as being valid.M. m. mipartitus (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) – Pacific red-tailed coral snake

M. m. anomalus (Boulenger, 1896) – Santa Marta red-tailed coral snake

M. m. decussatus (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) – Andean red-tailed coral snake

M. m. popayanensis Ayerbe, M.A. Tidwell & M. Tidwell, 1990 – Popayan red-tailed coral snake

M. m. rozei Golay, Chiszar, H.M. Smith & Breukelen, 1999 – Roze's red-tailed coral snake

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Micrurus.

Phenotypic features

M. mipartitus has a cylindrical body that can reach a total length (including tail) of 140.6 cm (55.4 in). It has quite small eyes and a rounded head. The black body rings of this species can number from 34 to 84 and are separated by narrow yellow or white intermediary rings. The second ring on the head and 3 or 4 of the tail rings are red-colored in contrast to the white or yellow rings.

Natural history

M. mipartitus is a species of crepuscular and nocturnal habits. During periods of low rainfall, it may be located underground, several centimeters deep. In times of high rainfall, it is found on the soil surface or where leaf litter is abundant. This coral snake lives in forests, from tropical dry forests to foggy forests, and is also found in human settlements in rural areas used for agriculture.

The diet of M. mipartitus is mainly based on snakes (e.g., Atractus werneri, A. sanctamartae, Leptotyphlops spp.) as well as lizards (e.g., Lepidoblepharis sanctaemartae), amphisbaenids (e.g., Amphisbaena spp.), frogs, and caecilians (e.g., Caecilia guntheri).

It is oviparous; about eight white-colored eggs have been recorded, which are 2.9 cm (1.1 in) long, with an average weight of 3.1 g (0.11 oz). Incubation period lasts between 73–87 days, total length of each hatchling varies from 20–21.9 cm (7.9–8.6 in) and weight is around 3.3 g (0.12 oz).

Range

It occurs in Central America and South America. Limits of its range vary by source and may include Nicaragua and Costa Rica in the north, although older records from Nicaragua and Costa Rica likely refer to M. multifasciatus. The IUCN Redlist restricts its range to Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, and possibly Peru. It has also been listed from Brazil (Rondônia).

Venom