Eastern Coral Snake
Micrurus fulvius
A slender, brightly banded elapid of the southeastern United States, famous for its red-yellow-black ring pattern.
- Adult length
- 0.5-0.8 m (20-31 in), exceptionally to 1.2 m
- Range
- Southeastern United States
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Overview
The eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) is the most widespread coral snake species in the United States, found across the coastal plain of the southeastern states. It is a member of the family Elapidae, related to cobras and mambas, despite its small size and secretive habits.
It is reclusive and mostly fossorial.
How to identify it
A slender, ringed snake with a famous color pattern.
- Broad red and black rings separated by narrower yellow rings encircling the body
- Red and yellow rings touch one another, a key feature separating it from look-alikes such as the scarlet kingsnake, in which red touches black
- Blunt, rounded black snout
- Smooth scales and round pupils
- Adults typically 0.5-0.8 m
Habitat & range
Found in pine flatwoods, scrub, hardwood hammocks, and areas with sandy soil across the coastal plain from North Carolina through Florida and west to Louisiana and eastern Texas. It is largely fossorial, spending much time burrowed in loose soil, leaf litter, or under debris.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Secretive and primarily active at dawn, dusk, or after rain, spending most of its time underground or under cover. It preys mainly on other small snakes and legless lizards. Reproduction is oviparous, with clutches of roughly 3-13 eggs.
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell the eastern coral snake from a mimic like the scarlet kingsnake?
On the coral snake, red bands touch yellow bands; on look-alikes such as the scarlet kingsnake, red touches black.
Where is the eastern coral snake found?
It occurs across the coastal plain of the southeastern United States, from North Carolina to Florida and west into Texas.
What does the eastern coral snake eat?
It preys mainly on other small snakes and legless lizards.
Eastern Coral Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Eastern Coral Snake.
Eastern Coral Snake identified by the community
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