Blue Coral Snake
Calliophis bivirgatus
A strikingly beautiful elapid with an iridescent blue-black body and red head and tail.
- Adult length
- 1.2-1.8 m (4-6 ft)
- Range
- Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines)
Found a snake like this?
Identify any snake from a photo, free.
Overview
The Blue Coral Snake is among the most visually striking elapids in Southeast Asia, with a glossy blue-black body set off by a bright red head, neck, and tail.
Despite its beauty, it is a secretive snake that is rarely encountered, spending much of its time hidden in leaf litter and burrows in tropical forest.
How to identify it
- Deep blue to blue-black body, often with pale blue lateral stripes running the length of the body
- Bright red head and red underside of the tail, contrasting sharply with the dark body
- Smooth, glossy scales and a cylindrical, moderately slender body
- Small head barely distinct from the neck, with round pupils
- Unmistakable coloration separates it from all sympatric species
Habitat & range
Inhabits lowland and hill tropical rainforest across the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, parts of Thailand, and the Philippines, often found under leaf litter, logs, or burrowed into soft soil.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Highly secretive and fossorial in habits, rarely seen above ground except at night or after rain. Feeds primarily on other snakes and elongated reptiles. It is reclusive and rarely seen.
Frequently asked questions
What does it eat?
Primarily other snakes and elongated reptiles such as skinks.
Where is it found?
Tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Blue Coral Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Blue Coral Snake.
