How to Identify the Painted Coral Snake (Identification Guide)
A vividly ringed South American coral snake identified by bold red, black, and yellow bands and a slender, cylindrical body.
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Key identifying features
The Painted Coral Snake (Micrurus corallinus) is a strikingly patterned elapid found in South American forests, recognized by its vivid rings of red, black, and yellow encircling the body from head to tail. Its bright, saturated coloration and consistent ring pattern make it a classic example of coral snake banding.
Coloration & pattern
The body shows a repeating sequence of single black rings, each bordered on both sides by a narrow white or yellow ring, with broader red rings filling the spaces between, all wrapping fully around the body. The red rings are typically the widest, and the scales within them are often tipped with black. The head is largely black with a pale band across the rear of the head.
Head, eyes & scales
The head is small, rounded, and blends into the neck without a distinct triangular shape. Eyes are small with round pupils. Scales are smooth and glossy, giving the snake a sleek appearance that highlights its bright banding.
Size & body shape
Adults typically range from 60 centimeters to about a meter in length. The body is slender and evenly cylindrical throughout, without the heavy build or tapering triangular head associated with vipers.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
The Painted Coral Snake is found in the Atlantic Forest and adjacent regions of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina, inhabiting humid forest floor leaf litter, moist woodland, and areas near streams. It is secretive and fossorial, typically encountered under logs or debris rather than in the open.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
Its single-ringed (monad) black banding, with each black ring narrowly edged in white or yellow and separated by broad red rings, helps distinguish it from regional coral snakes that show grouped or triad banding. As with all coral snakes, careful attention to the exact sequence and spacing of red, white, and black rings is necessary to separate it from harmless mimicking snakes in the same region.
Frequently asked questions
What is distinctive about the Painted Coral Snake's banding?
It shows single black rings separated by broad red rings, with each black ring narrowly bordered by white or yellow, a monad pattern typical of this species.
How large does this snake get?
Adults typically measure 60 centimeters to about a meter in length.
Where is the Painted Coral Snake found?
In the Atlantic Forest region of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina, usually in humid leaf litter and moist woodland.
Is it commonly seen in the open?
No, it is secretive and fossorial, usually found under logs or forest debris rather than exposed.
How can it be told apart from similar coral snakes in the region?
Careful comparison of ring sequence and spacing, especially its single black rings, helps distinguish it from other local coral snake species.