Micrurus multiscutatus RENDAHL & VESTERGREN, 1940
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Higher Taxa | Elapidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Cauca Coral Snake |
Synonym | Micrurus multiscutatus RENDAHL & VESTERGREN 1940: 9 Micrurus multiscutatus — WELCH 1994: 87 Micrurus multiscutatus — YÁNEZ-MUÑOZ et al. 2006 Micrurus multiscutatus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 450 |
Distribution | Colombia (incl. Valle del Cauca), Ecuador, elevation 200 m Type locality: El Tambo, Cauca, Colombia |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Holotype: NRM 3131 |
Diagnosis | Definition: A bicolor coral snake with only red and black bands on the body and tail and a large red frontoparietal band (Roze 1996: 200). Description: Males have 295 and females have 325 to 329 (327.3) ventrals; subcaudals about 30 in males and 26 to 31 (28) in females. Examined: the only four known specimens: 1 male and 3 females, including the holotype. The snout is black up to the frontal, followed by a red fronto-parietal band. Below, the head is red, but heavily mottled with black. The black nuchal band is 6 dorsals long and barely reaches the tips of the parietals. The body is covered by alternating red and black bands. The black bands are 3 to 4 dorsals and 2 to 3 ventrals long. The red bands are 2 to 3 dorsals and 3 to 4 ventrals long, with irregularly black-tipped scales. The males have about 59 and the females have 65 to 68 (66.7) black body bands. Both sexes have 3 tö 4 black tail bands (Roze 1996: 201). |
Comment | Venomous! Micrurus multiscutatus is very similar to M. multifasciatus but the difference is in the V shape on the posterior border of the supracephalic band in M. multiscutatus. |
Etymology | Latin from multi meaning many, and scutum meaning shield or scale; thus multiscutatus means with many shields or scales, alluding to the high number of ventrals. |
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