Micrurus steindachneri, also known commonly as the piedmont coral snake, Steindachner's coral snake, and coral de laderas in South American Spanish, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to northwestern South America. There are two recognized subspecies.
Description Micrurus steindachneri is medium-sized for its genus. Adults usually have a total length (tail included) of . The maximum recorded total length is . xii + 328 pp., 38 maps, 63 color photographs, 49 color pattern drawings. (Micrurus steindachneri, pp. 219–220 + Map 37 + Pattern 46).
Like many other species of New World coral snakes the color pattern of M. steindachneri consists of red, white, and black rings. The black rings are not arranged in triads, but rather are single. The red rings are 3–4 dorsals and 3–4 ventrals wide, the white rings are one dorsal and one ventral wide, and the black rings are 3–7 dorsals and 2–4 ventrals wide. Males have 28–34 black rings on the body, and females have 30–42 black rings on the body.
Males have 200–216 ventrals and 42–49 subcaudals, and lack supraanal tubercles. Females have 224–231 ventrals and 29–38 subcaudals.
Geographic distribution Micrurus steindachneri is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Ecuador and extreme northern Peru.
Habitat The preferred natural habitat of Micrurus steindachneri is forest, at elevations of .
Behavior Micrurus steindachneri is terrestrial, fossorial, and diurnal.
Reproduction Micrurus steindachneri is oviparous.
Subspecies Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Micrurus steindachneri orcesi – Río Pastaza watershed in Ecuador Micrurus steindachneri steindachneri – Río Santiago watershed in Ecuador and Peru
Etymology The specific name, steindachneri, is in honor of Viennese herpetologist Franz Steindachner.
The subspecific name, orcesi, is in honor of Ecuadorian herpetologist Gustavo Orcés.
References
Further reading
xiv + 430 pp., 568 figures, 109 distribution maps, 31 tables. 189 pp. (Micrurus steindachneri steindachneri, p. 116; Micrurus steindachneri orcesi, p. 117). (Micrurus steindachneri orcesi, new subspecies, pp. 43–45, Figure 15).
(Elaps steindachneri, new species, p. 599). (in German). (Elaps fasslii, new species, pp. 249–250). (in German).