Natural History of Micrurus Fulvius fulvius - Eastern Coral Snake

Micrurus Fulvius fulvius - Eastern Coral Snake

While I was on a hitching trail over spring break I was lucky enough to discover an Eastern Coral snake. I was at Harbison State Forest which is located in Columbia SC, near the Broad River. The forest encompasses over 2,000 acres and is one of the largest public green spaces near a metropolitan area in the U.S.  

The eastern coral snake belongs to the Family Elapidae which consist of coral snakes. These snakes are dangerously venomous and we only have one local species in the area, that being the eastern coral. The family is separated into Old World coral snakes (found in Asia) and New World coral snakes (found in the Americas). The eastern coral snake ranging from North Carolina to Florida and sometimes in Texas.

These snakes are typically small and slender with adults ranging from 20-30 inches, and at hatching they are 7-9 inches. They are vibrantly colored with red and yellow rings touching. The end of the snout is black, and the red rings are typically spotted with black. Their pattern is considered to be the brightest of North American coral snakes. They have rounded noses that are blunt and that look similar to their tails. When provoked they have been observed making a popping noise. This noise comes from expelling air from their cloaca as an attempt to startle the threat. This behavior is also been observed in hook-nosed snakes and referred to “Microfarts”.

Eastern coral snakes have a small mouth and short fangs without the ability to contract its fangs into its mouth. Therefore the fangs are weak. However their venom is highly toxic, deaths are rare due to the development of an antivenin. Due to their fangs being in a fixed position, they deliver the position through a chewing motion. The venom will cause rapid paralysis and respiratory failure but can take many hours for the symptoms to be noticed in humans.

Unlike other venomous snakes, eastern coral snakes lay eggs. They typically lay 6-7 eggs in the summer and hatch in the fall. They are usually secretive and prowl in the early morning. They primarily hunt slender lizards and small smooth scaled snakes.

There are many snakes that attempt to mimic the coral snakes pattern due to their reputation. Scarlet king snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum) and Scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea) look similar in their pattern although red and yellow are separated by black rings, and in the Scarlet snake the belly is white and unpatterned. In addition their snouts are not black but rather red.  One way to remember this is a simple rhyme that goes “Red and yellow, can kill a fellow; Red and black, friend of Jack.

I found this little guy hiding under some leaves deep in the forest about a mile and half off a trail. I was super exciting to see him and it was an awesome feeling to be able to identify him on the spot. I tried not to get too close so I am unsure of the sex or precise size. I would guess that “he” was an adult being about 23 inches. It was early morning when I discovered him so I assume he was on the prowl hunting for some yummy lizards to eat.