Micrurus dissoleucus, also known commonly as the pygmy coral snake and la candelilla in Spanish, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to extreme southern Central America and extreme northern South America. There are four recognized subspecies. www.reptile-database.org.
Description Very small for the genus Micrurus, adults of Micrurus dissoleucus usually have a total length (tail included) of . xii + 328 pp., 38 maps, 63 color photographs, 49 color pattern drawings. (Micrurus dissoleucus, including subspecies, pp. 158–161 + Map 13 + Color 17 + Pattern 16–17).
Geographic distribution Micrurus dissoleucus is found in northern Colombia, Panama, and northern Venezuela.
Habitat Micrurus dissoleucus is found in a variety of habitats, including forest, savanna, shrubland, deforested areas, and towns, at elevations from sea level to .
Behavior Micrurus dissoleucus is terrestrial.
Reproduction Micrurus dissoleucus is oviparous.
Subspecies Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Micrurus dissoleucus dissoleucus Micrurus dissoleucus dunni Micrurus dissoleucus melanogenys Micrurus dissoleucus nigrirostris
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Micrurus.
Etymology The subspecific name, dunni, is in honor of American herpetologist Emmett Reid Dunn.
References
Further reading
(Micrurus dunni, new species, p. 15). [Volume 11]. (Elaps dissoleucus, new species, pp. 345–346). [Volume 12]. (Elaps melanogenys, new species, p. 72). 189 pp. (Micrurus dissoleucus, p. 114).