noun
1. : any of a number of venomous elapid snakes with some red in their pattern: as
a. : any of several brilliantly banded in red, black, and yellow or white and extremely venomous but sluggish and retiring New World snakes (genus Micrurus ) widely distributed in So. and Central America with two species ( M. fulvius and M., or Micruroides, euryxanthus ) extending into the southern U.S. — called also harlequin snake
b. : any snake of an Indian genus ( Callophis ) that is reddish beneath with variously patterned dorsal surface
c. : a small venomous but harmless Australian snake ( Rhynchoelaps australis ) brilliantly marked with black and white on a red ground
d. : a small widely distributed arboreal snake ( Aspidelaps lubricus ) of southern Africa handsomely banded with black and orange bars
2. : any of several nonvenomous snakes resembling those of the genus Micrurus: as
a. : king snake
b. : a common So. American aniliid ( Anilius scytale )