Micrurus mipartitus, also known commonly as the red-tailed coral snake, the many-banded coral snake, and rabo de ají in local Spanish, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Central America and northern South America. The red-tailed coral snake is common in agricultural areas in Colombia. Its highly neurotoxic venom is known to cause seizures in its prey by activating nerve proteins responsible for seizures within it.
Subspecies
Five subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Micrurus.
Etymology
The subspecific name, rozei, is in honor of Latvian-American herpetologist Janis A. Roze.
Distribution
Micrurus mipartitus occurs in Central America and South America. Limits of its range vary by source and may include Nicaragua and Costa Rica in the north, although older records from Nicaragua and Costa Rica likely refer to M. multifasciatus. The IUCN Redlist restricts its range to Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, and possibly Peru. It has also been listed from Brazil (Rondônia).
Description
Micrurus mipartitus has a cylindrical body that can reach a total length (tail included) of 140.6 cm (55.4 in). It has quite small eyes and a rounded head. The black body rings of this species can number from 34 to 84 and are separated by...
