Micrurus remotus

Micrurus remotus
Preserved museum specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Micrurus
Species:
M. remotus
Binomial name
Micrurus remotus
Roze, 1987
Synonyms[2]
  • Micrurus psyches remotus
    Roze, 1987

Micrurus remotus, also known commonly as the remote coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to northwestern South America.[2]

Description

Like many other species of New World coral snakes, the color pattern of Micrurus remotus consists of red, white (or yellowish-white), and black rings, with the black rings not arranged in triads. The black rings are 2–3 dorsals and ventrals long. Males have 25–29 black rings on the body, and females have 29–40. The white rings are one scale wide. The width of the red rings is inversely proportional to the number of black rings.[3]

Males have 202–203 ventrals and 42–49 subcaudals, and lack supraanal tubercles. Females have 214–225 ventrals and 32–37 subcaudals.[3]

Geographic distribution

Micrurus remotus is found in extreme western Brazil, southeastern Colombia, and southern Venezuela.[1][2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Micrurus remotus is forest, at elevations of 90–1,700 m (300–5,580 ft).[1]

Behavior

Micrurus remotus is terrestrial, sheltering under logs and rocks.[1]

Diet

Micrurus remotus preys on lizards and snakes.[1]

Reproduction

Micrurus remotus is oviparous.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Calderón, M.; Ortega, A.; Schargel, W.; Rivas, G. (2019). "Micrurus remotus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T44582044A44582051. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44582044A44582051.en. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Species Micrurus remotus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. 1 2 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 remotus, p. 213 + Map 32 + Color 53).

Further reading

  • Bernal, R. (2025). Serpientes de Colombia, Guía de Campo. Bogotá: Conservación Internacional Colombia. ISBN 978-628-96909-0-3. 396 pp. (Micrurus remotus, pp. 102–103). (in Spanish).
  • Kornacker, P.M. (1999). Checklist and key to the snakes of Venezuela: Lista sistemática y clave para las serpientes de Venezuela. Rheinbach, Germany: PaKo-Verlag. ISBN 978-3980624008. 270 pp. (Micrurus remotus, p. 159). (in English and Spanish).
  • Nogueira, C.C. et al. (32 authors) (2019). "Atlas of Brazilian Snakes: Verified Point-Locality Maps to Mitigate the Wallacean Shortfall in a Megadiverse Snake Fauna". South American Journal of Herpetology 14 (Special Issue 1): 1–274.
  • Roze, J.A. (1987). "Summary of coral snakes (Elapidae) from Cerro de la Neblina, Venezuela, with description of a new subspecies". Revue Française d'Aquariologie-Herpétologie. 14 (3): 109–112. (Micrurus psyches remotus, new subspecies, p. 110).