How to Identify Medem's Coral Snake (Identification Guide)

Key identifying features

Medem's Coral Snake (Micrurus medemi) is a slender true coral snake found in Colombia, named in honor of herpetologist Federico Medem. As with other Micrurus species, its most reliable identifying feature is a series of bold rings that completely encircle the body, distinguishing it structurally from many mimicking species even when exact color sequence requires close inspection.

Coloration & pattern

The body shows a repeating sequence of rings, typically involving black, red, and a pale yellow or white color, wrapping fully around the body including the belly. The precise width and arrangement of the rings, along with the number of triads or repeating color groups, are used by specialists to separate this species from closely related coral snakes in the same region. The snout is often marked with a dark cap.

Head, eyes & scales

The head is small, narrow, and not distinct from the neck, consistent with the general coral snake body plan. Eyes are small with round pupils, difficult to see clearly against the surrounding banded pattern. Scales are smooth and glossy, and scale counts around the body are often required for confident species-level identification within the genus.

Size & body shape

This is a slender, cylindrical snake of small to moderate length, with an elongated body adapted to a secretive, often burrowing or leaf-litter dwelling lifestyle typical of coral snakes generally, rather than a robust or heavy build.

Range & habitat where you'll see it

Medem's Coral Snake is known from parts of Colombia, typically associated with humid lowland and premontane forest habitats. Like many coral snakes, it is a secretive species that spends much of its time hidden beneath leaf litter, in soil, or under forest debris, making direct sightings uncommon.

How to tell it apart from look-alikes

The complete body-encircling rings, including on the belly, separate true coral snakes like this species from many harmless mimics with incomplete banding restricted to the upper body. However, distinguishing Medem's Coral Snake from other similarly patterned Micrurus species in the same region is difficult without close examination of ring counts and sequence, since general coloration overlaps significantly across regional coral snakes; range and detailed pattern analysis by a specialist are typically needed for confident identification.