How to Identify the Putumayo Coral Snake (Identification Guide)
The Putumayo Coral Snake is a slender Amazonian elapid identified by its complete rings of red, black, and yellow bands and small rounded head, restricted to the Putumayo river region.
Read the full Putumayo Coral Snake encyclopedia entry →Key identifying features
The Putumayo Coral Snake displays the classic banded pattern of true coral snakes, with complete rings of red, black, and yellow encircling the entire body, a pattern shared broadly across the coral snake complex of the western Amazon basin. Its geographic association with the Putumayo river region and neighboring rainforest areas, along with its small rounded head, are useful supporting identification features.
Coloration & pattern
The body shows broad red bands separated by black bands, each black band bordered by thin yellow or pale rings, forming a repeating sequence that wraps fully around the body and belly. The snout is typically black, often extending back over the top of the head. Band width and spacing can show some individual variation, but the banding consistently encircles the entire body rather than stopping at the sides.
Head, eyes & scales
The head is small, rounded, and barely distinct from the neck, lacking the broadened, triangular shape typical of vipers. Eyes are small and dark with round pupils. Scales are smooth and glossy, contributing to the snake's sleek, cylindrical appearance characteristic of the coral snake group.
Size & body shape
This is a slender, small to medium-sized snake, typically reaching 40 to 75 centimeters in length, with a uniformly cylindrical body and a short tail, well suited to its secretive, ground-dwelling and burrowing lifestyle in rainforest leaf litter.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
The Putumayo Coral Snake is found in the western Amazon basin, particularly near the Putumayo river region spanning parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, where it inhabits humid lowland rainforest, leaf litter, and moist soil habitats. It is secretive and rarely encountered in the open, typically found under logs, leaf litter, or forest debris.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
The fully encircling bands of red, black, and yellow, combined with its association with the Putumayo river drainage and surrounding rainforest, help distinguish this species from other regional coral snakes and non-venomous mimics, which often show incomplete banding across the belly. As with all coral snakes, confirming that the bands wrap completely around the body is the most reliable way to separate true species from mimics, and identification should be approached cautiously given the medical significance of the group.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Putumayo Coral Snake typically found?
In the western Amazon basin near the Putumayo river region, spanning parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
What is its main identifying pattern?
Complete rings of red, black, and yellow bands encircling the entire body, including the belly.
How can this be distinguished from a mimic snake?
True coral snakes show bands that fully wrap around the body, while many mimics have incomplete banding across the belly.
What is the head shape like?
Small, rounded, and barely distinct from the neck, without a triangular viper-like shape.
How large does this species typically grow?
Around 40 to 75 centimeters, with a slender, cylindrical body suited to leaf litter habitats.