Micrurus dumerilii
| Micrurus dumerilii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Micrurus |
| Species: | M. dumerilii |
| Binomial name | |
| Micrurus dumerilii (Jan, 1858) | |
 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Micrurus dumerilii, also known commonly as the Capuchin coral snake, Duméril's coral snake, and coral capuchina in New World Spanish, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to extreme southeastern Central America and extreme northwestern South America. There are six recognized subspecies.[2]
Etymology
[edit]The specific name, dumerilii, is in honor of French herpetologist André Marie Constant Duméril.[3]: 77
Description
[edit]Medium-sized for the genus Micrurus, adults of Micrurus dumerilii usually have a total length (tail included) of 50–70 cm (20–28 in). However, the maximum recorded total length is 92.2 cm (36.3 in). Like most coral snakes, coloration consists of rings of red, black, and white. The pattern of the rings varies among subspecies, some being single and some being in triads.[4]
Geographic distribution
[edit]Micrurus dumerilii is found in northern and western Colombia, northern Ecuador, southeastern Panama, and northwestern Venezuela.[2]
Habitat
[edit]The preferred natural habitat of Micrurus dumerilii is forest, especially near water, at elevations from near sea level to 2,133 m (6,998 ft).[1]
Behavior
[edit]Micrurus dumerilii is terrestrial and semi-fossorial.[1]
Reproduction
[edit]Subspecies
[edit]Six subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]
- Micrurus dumerilii antioquiensis Schmidt, 1936
- Micrurus dumerilii carinicauda Schmidt, 1936
- Micrurus dumerilii colombianus (Griffin, 1916)
- Micrurus dumerilii dumerilii (Jan, 1858)
- Micrurus dumerilii transandinus Schmidt, 1936
- Micrurus dumerilii venezuelensis Roze, 1989
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Micrurus.
Venom
[edit]Micrurus dumerilii possesses a potent venom. When live specimens were "milked" in a laboratory, the venom yield was 5–7 mg (dry weight), which is approximately equal to the estimated lethal dose of 4–6 mg for an adult human.[4]: 102
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Ibáñez, R.; Jaramillo, C.; Urbina, N.; Ramírez Pinilla, M.; Ines Hladki, A.; Renjifo, J.; Schargel, W.; Rivas, G. (2020). "Micrurus dumerilii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020 e.T203625A2769207. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T203625A2769207.en. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Species Micrurus dumerilii at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- ↑ Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xiii + 296. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.
- 1 2 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. (Micrurus dumerilii, pp. 163–167, Figure 55 + Map 16 + Color 19 + Pattern 20–21).
Further reading
[edit]- Freiberg, M. (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. 189 pp. (Micrurus dumerilii, pp. 114–115).
- Griffin, L.E. (1916). "A Catalog of the Ophidia from South America at Present (June, 1916) Contained in the Carnegie Museum with Descriptions of some New Species". Memoirs of the Carnegie Museum. 7 (3): 163–228. (Elaps colombianus, new species, pp. 216–217).
- Jan, [G.] (1858). "Plan d'une Iconographie descriptive des Ophidiens et description sommaire de nouvelles espèces de Serpents". Revue et Magasin de Science Pure et Appliquée, Paris, 2e série. 10: 438–449, 514–527. (Elaps dumerilii, new species, pp. 522–523). (in French).
- Roze, J.A. (1989). "New Species and Subspecies of Coral Snakes, Genus Micrurus (Elapidae), with Notes on Type Specimens of Several Species". American Museum Novitates (2932): 1–15. (Micrurus dumerilii venezuelensis, new subspecies, pp. 7–9, Figure 4). (in English, with an abstract in Spanish).
- Schmidt, K.P. (1936). "Preliminary Account of Coral Snakes of South America". Zoological Series of Field Museum of Natural History. 20 (19): 189–203. (Micrurus antioquiensis, new species, pp. 195–196; Micrurus carinicauda, new species, pp. 194–195; Micrurus transandinus, new species, p. 195).