Coral snakes are found around the world. In North America there are 3 species distributed in the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America.
Family: Elapidae
Popular Name
Scientific Name
Distribution
Eastern coral snake
Micrurus fulvius
east of Mississippi
Texas coral snake
Micrurus tener
Texas, Arkansas, Louisianna, Mexico
Arizona coral snake
Micruroides euryxanthus
Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico
The snake is reclusive and rarely bites humans. It may be encountered when there is flooding.
The snake produces a potent neurotoxin that paralyzes respiratory muscles, requiring mechanical ventilation in severe cases. The toxin binds to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction. Pain at the bite site tends to be mild. The onset of systemic symptoms may be delayed.
The North American coral snakes have circumferential bands of different colors: red, yellow, white, black. The presence of a yellow or white band may distinguish the coral snake from nonvenomous snakes.
Several nonvenomous snakes (King, milk, scarlet, etc) may also show colored bands. There are several mnemonics that attempt to distinguish the nonvenomous species but these are not always reliable and do not apply outside of North America.
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