A slender venomous snake with brilliant red-yellow-black banding — neurotoxic venom that's among North America's most potent. Highly secretive, mostly fossorial. Bites are extremely rare but serious.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Micrurus fulvius, commonly known as the eastern coral snake, common coral snake, American cobra, and more, is a species of highly venomous coral snake in the family Elapidae that is endemic to the southeastern United States. The family also contains the cobras and sea snakes.
Source: Wikipedia — Micrurus fulvius Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Slender snake with brilliant red-yellow-black banding. Yellow stripes touch red ("red on yellow, kill a fellow").
Similar species. Scarlet Kingsnake and Milk Snake (red touches black instead — "red on black, friend of Jack").
Voice. Hisses very softly.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Small lizards, small snakes, small mammals.
Behavior. Highly venomous (neurotoxic). Highly secretive — most southeasterners have never seen one. Bites extremely rare but require antivenom.
§ Range
Southeastern US (Florida, GA, SC, NC, AL, MS, LA)
§ Habitat
Pine flatwoods, hardwood forests, sandhills
§ Threats
Habitat loss, vehicle strikes, killing on sight, fire suppression altering pine ecosystems.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the eastern coral snake is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support longleaf pine restoration. Don't kill snakes. Support prescribed fire in pine ecosystems.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Micrurus fulvius
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Micrurus fulvius
- IUCN Red List · taxon 64031
- iNaturalist · taxon 30791
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Micrurus fulvius
§ Sources cited
- The Orianne Society
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Save the Snakes
- IUCN Red List 2007
