Micrurus browni SCHMIDT & SMITH, 1943
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Micrurus browni
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| Higher Taxa | Elapidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | Micrurus browni browni SCHMIDT & SMITH 1943 Micrurus browni taylori SCHMIDT & SMITH 1943 |
| Common Names | E: Sierra Madre coral snake, Brown's Coral Snake S: Coralillo de Sierra Madre |
| Synonym | Micrurus nigrocinctus browni SCHMIDT & SMITH 1943 Micrurus browni — LAURENT 1949: 18 Micrurus nigrocinctus browni — ALVAREZ DEL TORO & SMITH 1956: 17 Micrurus nigrocinctus browni — ZWEIFEL 1959 Micrurus browni — LINER 1994 Micrurus browni browni — LINER 2007 Micrurus browni — WALLACH et al. 2014: 443 Micrurus browni — REYES-VELASCO et al. 2020 Micrurus browni taylori SCHMIDT & SMITH 1943 Micrurus nuchalis taylori — SCHMIDT & SMITH 1943 Micrurus browni taylori — LINER 2007 |
| Distribution | SW Mexico (Jalisco, Chiapas, Oaxaca), W Guatemala, Honduras (elevation 1900 m) browni: Mexico, W Guatemal; Type locality: Mexico, Guerrero, Chilpancingo. taylori: Mexico (Guerrero); Type locality: Acapulco, Guerrero. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: FMNH 38494 Holotype: FMNH 100051 [taylori] |
| Diagnosis | Definition: A single-banded coral snake with white or yellow bands bordering the black bands. The snout, inc1uding the eyes, is black, followed by a black parietal band. The mental and the first infralabials are black. The black nuchal band covers the tips of the parietals. The red dorsal scales may or may not have black tips. The tail has black and white or yellow bands only; the black bands are wider than the white ones. Males usually have supraanal tuberc1es, but these may be reduced or absent. There are 1+1 or 1+2 temporals (Roze 1996: 146). Description (browni): Males have 204 to 218 (209.2) and fernales 224 to 230 (226.7) ventrals; subcaudals 46 to 52 (48.5) in males, 36 to 45 (39.1) in females. Examined: 36 males and 24 females, including the holotype. The black snout coloration extends over the supraoculars and usually forms a nearly straight posterior border that extends over the anterior part of the parietals and the frontal. Occasionally, the tip of the frontal is white. The mental and the first 2 to 4 infralabials are black. The nuchal black band covers the sixth and the seventh infralabials and the first few ventrals. The black body bands are 3 to 4 dorsals (up to 7 in specimens from Chiapas) and usually 3 ventrals long. The red bands vary in individual snakes; some lack blacktipped scales others have strong black tips or scattered scales without black tips. Ventrally, the red bands are usually immaculate, but occasional specimens have few small and irregular black spots. The white or yellow bands are 1 to 1.5 dorsals long, without black-tipped scales. The black tail bands are 2 or more times as long as the white ones. There are 14 to 26 (22.1) black body bands in males and 17 to 26 (23.2) in females. The males have 5 to 8 (6.2) and the females have 4 to 5 (4.8) black tail bands (Roze 1996: 147). Description (importunus): Males have 209 to 211 (210) and females have about 224 ventrals; subcaudals 51 to 58 (54.5) in males and about 35 in fernales. Examined: 2 males and 1 female, including the holotype. The black color of the snout extends onto the supraoculars, covering almost the entire frontal and the upper postoculars. The black extends back from the mental as a heavy stripe, covering part of the first three infralabials on both sides of the head. The nuchal black band covers the posterior third of the parietals and the first 5 dorsals as weIl as ventrals. The black bands are 3 to 4 dorsals long (and usually 3 ventrals long), bordered by white bands 1 to 1.5 dorsals long. The red areas are imrnaculate or may have small black-tipped scales. The red bands are imrnaculate ventrally. The black tail bands are about twice as long as the white ones. There are 19 to 20 (19.6) black body bands in males and about 27 in females. The males have 6 to 7 (6.7) black tail bands and the only known female has 6 (Roze 1996: 147). Description (taylori): Males have 212 to 220 (217.1) and females 223 to 238 (231.2) ventrals; subcaudals in males 53 to 59 (55.3), in females 37 to 47 (43.1). Only 1+1 temporals. Examined: 12 males and 12 females, induding holotype. The black snout coloration extends onto the supraoculars, both postoculars, and the frontal except for its posterior tip; it does not have a straight, posterior border. The black nuchal band covers the tips of the parietals, 5 or 6 dorsals, and about 4 ventrals. The mental and the first 3 or 4 infralabials are black. The black bands are 2.5 or 3 dorsals and 1 or 2 ventrals long; they are bordered by white bands that are usually 1 dorsal long. A few specimens have the black bands reduced or interrupted ventrally. The red scales usually have black tips. Ventrally, the red areas are immaculate or have a few very small black dots. The black tail bands are about 4 times as long as the white ones. There are 10 to 14 (11.4) black body bands in males and 11 to 17 (13.8) in females. The males have 4 to 6 (4.9) and the females 3 to 5 (3.9) black tail bands (Roze 1996: 148). |
| Comment | Micrurus browni importunus is mimicked by Pliocercus elapoides diastema (see SMITH & CHISZAR 2001). Venomous! Distribution: not in Quintana Roo (Mexico), fide Gonzalez-Sanchez et al. 2017. |
| Etymology | named after W. W. Brown, the collector of the holotype. |
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