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Ecuadorian Milksnake (Lampropeltis micropholis)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Colubridae | Lampropeltis micropholis
English common name: Ecuadorian Milksnake.
Spanish common names: Falsa coral ecuatoriana, serpiente de leche ecuatoriana.
Recognition: ♂♂ 160.0 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. ♀♀ 136.2 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail..1,2 Lampropeltis micropholis can be identified by its distinctive coloration consisting of two black rings separated by a white to cream ring, alternating with a red ring (Fig. 1). Ontogenetic changes may result in the characteristic ringed pattern being obscured in older specimens.1 Notably, younger, or smaller individuals may display a white band across the prefrontal region.3,4 Unlike real coral snakes, such as Micrurus ancoralis and M. transandinus, the Ecuadorian Milksnake has large laterally positioned eyes and a loreal scale.5
Figure 1: Individuals of Lampropeltis micropholis from Ecuador: Poetate, Azuay province (); Santa Isabel, Azuay province (); Canandé Reserve, Esmeraldas province (). j=juvenile.
Natural history: Lampropeltis micropholis is a terrestrial serpent that inhabits a wide range of habitats, from pristine rainforest to dry shrublands, crops, and urban parks.2,6 Ecuadorian Milksnakes exhibit both diurnal and nocturnal activity.6,7 At night and during unfavorable weather, they tend to remain hidden under leaf-litter, among roots, or in blocks, emerging to forage during cloudy days.2,8 Milksnakes in general feed on small mammals, snakes, and lizards,9 but so far only rodents have been confirmed as prey items in Ecuadorian populations.10 Their feeding strategy consists of biting and progressively constricting the prey until it succumbs to suffocation.11 There are recorded instances of predation on L. micropholis by hawks12 and by house cats.2 Clutch sizes in Lampropeltis range from 5 to 16 eggs, with an incubation period of approximately 35–50 days.1
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..13 Lampropeltis micropholis is listed in this category primarily on the basis of the species’ wide distribution, occurrence in protected areas, and lack of evidence of widespread threats or decline.13 Despite this relatively favorable conservation status, in Ecuador these snakes are usually killed on sight by local people who confuse them with real coral snakes.8 The species also faces habitat loss and fragmentation attributable to the rapid urbanization of once wild or rural areas.8
Distribution: Lampropeltis micropholis is widely distributed throughout the lowlands of Mesoamerica, the Chocó, and Río Magdalena valley regions. The species occurs from Costa Rica to southwestern Ecuador (Fig. 2). It has also been recorded on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos,7 but whether this represents an isolated individual or part of an established population is uncertain.
Figure 2: Distribution of Lampropeltis micropholis in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The name Lampropeltis comes from the Greek lampro (=brightness) and pelte (=shield).14 It refers to the distinctive enamel-like characteristics of the dorsal scales. The specific name comes from the Greek mikros (=small) and pholis (=scales),14 an epithet that underscores the relatively small dorsals.
See it in the wild: In Ecuador, Lampropeltis micropholis is a frequently observed snake in forested peri-urban areas, particularly around large cities such as Guayaquil and Quito.7,8 Most observations are of individuals crossing roads and trails during cloudy days.
Special thanks to Jordan Russell for symbolically adopting the Ecuadorian Milksnake and helping bring the Reptiles of Ecuador book project to life.
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Authors: Gabriela SandovalaAffiliation: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. and Alejandro ArteagabAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Photographer: Jose VieiracAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.,dAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Sandoval G, Arteaga A (2024) Ecuadorian Milksnake (Lampropeltis micropholis). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com. DOI: 10.47051/NYTD2467
Literature cited:
- Savage JM (2002) The amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica, a herpetofauna between two continents, between two seas. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 934 pp.
- Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
- Ruane SB, Byrson RW, Pyron RA, Burbrink FT (2014) Coalescent species delimitation in milksnakes (Genus Lampropeltis) and impacts on phylogenetic comparative analyses. Systematic Biology 63: 231–250. DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syt099
- Lotzkat S (2014) Diversity, taxonomy, and biogeography of the reptiles inhabiting the highlands of the Cordillera Central (Serranía de Talamanca and Serranía de Tabasará) in western Panama. PhD thesis, Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main, 931 pp.
- MECN (2010) Serie herpetofauna del Ecuador: El Chocó esmeraldeño. Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales, Quito, 232 pp.
- Almendáriz A, Brito J (2011) Biodiversidad de los valles secos interandinos del Ecuador. Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, 60 pp.
- Cisneros-Heredia DF (2018) The hitchhiker wave: non-native small terrestrial vertebrates in the Galápagos. In: Torres MdL, Mena CF (Eds) Understanding invasive species in the Galápagos Islands. Springer, New York, 95–139.
- Cisneros-Heredia DF, Touzet JM (2007) On the distribution and conservation of Lampropeltis triangulum (Lacepede, 1789) in Ecuador. Herpetozoa 19: 182–183.
- Williams KL (1988) Systematics and natural history of the American Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, 258 pp.
- Cárdenas-Ortega MS, Herrera-Lopera JM, Ramírez-Chaves HE (2018) Lampropeltis micropholis (Ecuadorian Milksnake, Falsa coral interandina): diet. Herpetological Review 49: 549.
- Vogt RC (1981) Natural history of amphibians and reptiles of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, 205 pp.
- Gerhardt RP, Harris PM, Vásquez-Marroquín MA (1993) Food habits of nesting Great Black Hawks in Tikal National Park, Guatemala. Biotropica 25: 349–352. DOI: 10.2307/2388794
- Rivas G, Schargel W, Urbina N, Ramírez Pinilla M, Lavin P, Ines Hladki A, Mendoza-Quijano F, Renjifo J (2022) Lampropeltis micropholis. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T67662806A217811917.en
- Brown RW (1956) Composition of scientific words. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C., 882 pp.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Lampropeltis micropholis in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Colombia | Ñariño | Cumbitara | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Colombia | Ñariño | San Andrés de Tumaco | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Chilcaplaya | MZUA.Re.0061; examined |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Jubones | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Azuay | La Unión | MZUA.Re.0109; examined |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Old bridge over the Leon river | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Poetate | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Azuay | San Rafael de Sharug | MZUA.Re.0242 |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Santa Isabel | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Azuay | Yunguilla | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Bolívar | Vía a Echeandía | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Machala–Girón road | Cisneros-Heredia 2007 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Piñas | Photo by Amanda Quezada |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Reserva Biológica Buenaventura | Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2004 |
| Ecuador | El Oro | Sendero, Zaruma | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Canandé Reserve | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Montalvo | Photo by Diego Piñán |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Reserva Itapoa | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Río Verde | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Esmeraldas | Viche | Pazmiño-Otamendi 2020 |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Balzar | USNM 211026; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Bosque Protector Cerro Blanco | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Bosque Protector La Prosperina | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Capeira | Photo by Eduardo Zavala |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Estero Salado | USNM 62811; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Finca Elba | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Isla Mocoli | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Isla Santay | Cruz-García et al. 2023 |
| Ecuador | Guayas | La Aurora | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Represa Daule Peripa | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Samborondón | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Subestación Chorillos | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Urbanización Altos del Río | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Guayas | Vía a la Costa | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Bosque Protector Golondrinas | UMMZ 83696; collection database |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Cuellaje | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Imbiola | Photo by Diego Piñán |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Lita | AMNH 13429; examined |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Peñaherrera | UMMZ 83694; collection database |
| Ecuador | Imbabura | Santa Catalina de Salinas | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Loja | Chaquinal | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Loja | Chiguango | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Loja | Valle de Catamayo | Parker 1938 |
| Ecuador | Loja | Vía a Santa Isabel Uchucay | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Loja | Vía Pindal–Alamor | Pazmiño-Otamendi 2020 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Babahoyo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Bosque Protector Pedro Franco Dávila | Cruz-García et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Dole María Jose | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Hotel Palmar del Sol | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Lechugal | MZUA.Re.0190; examined |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Quevedo | USNM 211025; VertNet |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Recinto La Muralla | Pazmiño-Otamendi 2020 |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Río Vinces | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Los Ríos | Ventanas | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Cocosolo | Photo by Carlos Robles |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Hacienda María Luisa | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Maicito | MHNG 1379.052; collection database |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Membrillo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Presa La Esperanza | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Manabí | Quiroga, 3 km W of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Carcelén Bajo | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Central Térmica Gualberto Hernández | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Chacapungo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Chipal | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Club Jacarandá | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cóndor Ilaló | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Conocoto | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cráter del Pululahua | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cumbayá, Av. San Francisco de Pinsha | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cumbayá, Calle Buganvillas | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Cunuyacu | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | El Andrango | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | El Chaquiñán | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | El Potrero de Cumbayá | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | El Tingo | Fernández Liger & Margarisca Mogro 2022 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Hacienda La Hesperia | Brouwer 2018 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Hostería Jumbo | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Huertos del Ilaló | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Jardín Alado Ilaló | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Jardines del Valle | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | La Armenia | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Llano Chico | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Lomas de Cumbayá | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Lumbisí | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Lumbisí, Av. Intervalles | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Mirador del Pululahua | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Miravalle, Av. Oswaldo Guayasamin | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Nanegal | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Algarrobos | Photo by Tristan Schramer |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Central de Cumbayá | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Metropolitano Guanguiltagua | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Parque Metropolitano La Armenia | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Perucho | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Perucho, 2 km E of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Pintag, 7 km N of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Plaza Pampite | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Puéllaro | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Puerto Quito | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, Av. Colón y 6 de Diciembre | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, Av. Colón y Reina Victoria | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, Av. Río San Pedro | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, Calle Cruz del Sur | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, Río San Pedro | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Quito, sector Monjas | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Reservorio de Guangopolo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | San Alfonso | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | San Antonio de Pichincha | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | San Antonio de Pichincha, 13 km N of | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Tanlahua | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Tumbaco | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Tumbaco, calle Juan Bautista | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Tumbaco, Calle Juan Montalvo | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Valle Hermoso | Cisneros-Heredia 2007 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Vía a San Patricio | Valencia et al. 2017 |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Vía Charhuayacu | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Volcán Ilaló | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Pichincha | Zoológico de Guayllabamba | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Bosque Protector La Perla | iNaturalist; photo examined |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Reserva Otongachi | Reptiles of Ecuador book database |
| Ecuador | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo, 4 km W of | USNM 211027; VertNet |