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. www.reptile-database.org.
Etymology The specific name, dumerilii, is in honor of French herpetologist André Marie Constant Duméril.
Description Medium-sized for the genus Micrurus, adults of Micrurus dumerilii usually have a total length (tail included) of . However, the maximum recorded total length is . 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. 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).
Geographic distribution Micrurus dumerilii is found in northern and western Colombia, northern Ecuador, southeastern Panama, and northwestern Venezuela.
Habitat The preferred natural habitat of Micrurus dumerilii is forest, especially near water, at elevations from near sea level to .
Behavior Micrurus dumerilii is terrestrial and semi-fossorial.
Reproduction Micrurus dumerilii is oviparous.
Subspecies Six subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Micrurus dumerilii antioquiensis Micrurus dumerilii carinicauda Micrurus dumerilii colombianus Micrurus dumerilii dumerilii Micrurus dumerilii transandinus Micrurus dumerilii venezuelensis
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Micrurus.
Venom 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.
References
Further reading
189 pp. (Micrurus dumerilii, pp. 114–115). (Elaps colombianus, new species, pp. 216–217). (Elaps dumerilii, new species, pp. 522–523). (in French). (Micrurus dumerilii venezuelensis, new subspecies, pp. 7–9, Figure 4). (in English, with an abstract in Spanish). (Micrurus antioquiensis, new species, pp. 195–196; Micrurus carinicauda, new species, pp. 194–195; Micrurus transandinus, new species, p. 195).