Micrurus scutiventris
| Micrurus scutiventris | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Micrurus |
| Species: | M. scutiventris |
| Binomial name | |
| Micrurus scutiventris (Cope, 1869) | |
 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Micrurus scutiventris, also known commonly as the little black coral snake and the pygmy black-backed coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to northwestern South America.[2]
Local common names
Local common names for Micrurus scutiventris include coral negra pequeña in South American Spanish, and cobra coral pequena and cobra coral preta pequena in Brazilian Portuguese.[2][3]
Description
Micrurus scutiventris is a very small species of New World coral snake. Adults usually have a total length (tail included) of less than 40 cm (16 in). The holotype has a total length of 44.5 cm (17.5 in), which is the maximum recorded total length.[3]
Dorsally, M. scutiventris is black, except for a yellow or orange band across the top of the head. Ventrally, it is black with large yellow oval spots. Each spot is about four ventrals long and may extend onto the first two rows of dorsal scales. The black spaces between the spots are also about four ventrals long. Both sexes have 26–34 ventral spots on the body. The tail has one or two red rings.[3]
Males have 219–243 ventrals and 21–27 subcaudals, and females have 253–274 ventrals and 15–20 subcaudals.[3]
Geographic distribution
Micrurus scutiventris is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.[2]
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of Micrurus scutiventris is forest, at elevations of 60–1,200 m (200–3,940 ft).[1]
Behavior
Micrurus scutiventris is terrestrial, semi-fossorial, and nocturnal.[1]
Diet
Micrurus scutiventris preys upon small burrowing lizards, including species of the genus Bachia.[3]
Reproduction
Etymology
The specific names of two synonyms, karlschmidti and schmidti, are both in honor of American herpetologist Karl Patterson Schmidt.[2][3]
References
- 1 2 3 Gagliardi, G.; Gonzales, L.; Nogueira, C.; Valencia, J. (2019). "Micrurus scutiventris ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T44581913A44581920. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T44581913A44581920.en. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Species Leptomicrurus scutiventris at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 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. (Leptomicrurusscutiventris, pp. 135–136 + Map 3).
Further reading
- Bernal, R. (2025). Serpientes de Colombia, Guía de Campo. Bogotá: Conservación Internacional Colombia. ISBN 978-628-96909-0-3. 396 pp. (Micrurus scutiventris, pp. 94–95). (in Spanish).
- Cope, E.D. (1869). "Seventh contribution to the Herpetology of tropical America". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 11: 147–169. (Elaps scutiventris, new species, pp. 156–157).
- Hoge, A.R.; Romano, S.A.R.W.D.L. (1966). "Leptomicrurus in Brasil (Serpentes – Elapidae)". Memórias do Instituto Butantan. 33: 1–8. ("1965"). (Leptomicrurus schmidti, new species).
- Hoge, R.A.; Romano, S.A. (1972). "Sinopse das serpentes peçonhentas do Brasil (Serpentes, Elapidae e Viperidae)". Mem. Inst. Butantan. 36: 109–208. (Micrurus karlschmidti, replcement name for Leptomicrurus schmidti). (in Portuguese, with an abstract in English).
- Roze, J.A.; Bernal-Carlo, A. (1988). "Las serpientes corales venenosas del género Leptomicrurus (Serpentes: Elapidae) de Suramérica con descripción de una nueva subespecie". Bollettino del Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino. 5 (2): 573–608. (Leptomicrurus scutiventris, p. 595). (in Spanish).
- Torres-Carvajal, O.; Pazmiño-Otamendi, G.; Salazar-Valenzuela, D. (2019). "Reptiles of Ecuador: a resource-rich portal, with dynamic checklists and photographic guides". Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. 13 (1): 209–229 (e178).