Micrurus margaritiferus
| Micrurus margaritiferus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Micrurus |
| Species: | M. margaritiferus |
| Binomial name | |
| Micrurus margaritiferus Roze, 1967 | |
 | |
Micrurus margaritiferus, also known commonly as the speckled coral snake and the coral salpicada in Peruvian Spanish, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Peru.[2]
Description
Micrurus margaritiferus is medium-sized for its genus. The maximum reported total length (tail included) is that of a female which measured 73.5 cm (28.9 in).[3]
The color pattern consists of many narrow black rings (68–141), separated by very narrow white rings. Dorsally, the white rings are interrupted, forming transverse series of white dots. Ventrally, the white rings are complete.[3]
Geographic distribution
Micrurus margaritiferus is found in northeastern Peru, on the Amazonian slopes of the Andes, in the Department of Amazonas.[1][2]
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of Micrurus margaritiferus is forest, at elevations of 720–1,000 m (2,360–3,280 ft).[1]
Behavior
Micrurus margaritiferus is terrestrial.[1]
Reproduction
Etymology
The specific name, margaritiferus, means "carrier of pearls" is a reference to the white dots of the interrupted rings, which resemble strings of pearls.[2][3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Lehr, E. (2019). "Micrurus margaritiferus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T48617878A48617883. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T48617878A48617883.en. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Species Micrurus margaritiferus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- 1 2 3 Roze, J.A. (1996). Coral Snakes of the Americas: Biology, Identification, and Venoms. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89464-847-0. xii + 328 pp., 38 maps, 63 color photographs, 49 color pattern drawings. (Micrurus margaritiferus, pp. 193–194 + Map 25 + Pattern 31).
Further reading
- Campbell, J.A.; Lamar, W.W. (1989). The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0801420597. iv + 430 pp., 568 figures, 109 distribution maps, 31 tables.
- Lee, J.C.; Hernández-Morales, C.; McDiarmid, R.W. (2018). "First report on the reproductive biology and diet of two Coral Snake species (Micrurus) from the western Amazon of Peru and Ecuador (Serpentes: Elapidae) using x-radiography". Herpetology Notes. 11: 409–412.
- Roze, J.A. (1967). "A Check List of the New World Venomous Coral Snakes (Elapidae), with Descriptions of New Forms". American Museum Novitates (2287): 1–60. (Micrurus margaritiferus, new species, pp. 35–36, Figure 12).