CORAL SNAKE

any of about 65 species of strongly patterned burrowing snakes of the cobra family, Elapidae. True coral snakes are confined to the New World, chiefly in the tropics, but similar forms occur in Asia and Africa. Secretive and docile, they rarely bite when handled; however, the venom of some can kill a man. Most coral snakes prey on other snakes. The largest genus, Micrurus, ranges from the southern United States to Argentina; most of the more than 50 species are ringed with red, black, and yellow or white. An example is the eastern coral snake, or harlequin snake (M. fulvius), of North Carolina and Missouri to northeastern Mexico. It is about 76 centimetres (30 inches) long and has wide bands of red and black separated by narrow bands of yellow: the rhyme Red touching yellow, dangerous fellow distinguishes it from similar species. This nocturnal snake is common but rarely seen. The Arizona coral snake (Micruroides euryxanthus) is a small, rare denizen of southwestern U.S. deserts. Old World coral snakes include five to ten species of Calliophis, found from Malaysia to the Philippines. In the genus Maticora of the East Indies, the venom glands extend more than one-third of the way down the body. African coral snakes belong chiefly to Elaps, and are black-and-white banded. In the family Colubridae (see colubrid), the false coral snakes (Erythrolamprus) of South American forests are rear-fanged. For the false coral snake of North America, see scarlet snake; king snake.