Black-backed Coralsnake (Micrurus melanotus)

Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Elapidae | Micrurus | Micrurus melanotus

English common names: Black-backed Coralsnake, Slender Black Coralsnake, Andean Blackback Coralsnake.

Spanish common names: Coral negra, coral negra esbelta, coral espalda negra andina.

Recognition: ♂♂ 93.6 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=89.3 cm. ♀♀ 117.3 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. Snout–vent length=113.1 cm..^1,2 In Ecuador, Micrurus melanotus is one of two coralsnakes that lack complete body rings.³ It can be distinguished from most other snakes by its long and slender body, short tail (3.4–8.1% of snout-vent length), and unique coloration.^4,5 It has an entirely black dorsum and head, interrupted only by a bright red to yellow nape band (Fig. 1).^1,4 The ventral surfaces are also black with 41–60 bright yellow to orange bands or spots. The tail bears 2–3 bright red bands that may encircle the whole body or be confined to the ventral side.^4,5 Males of M. melanotus also have a high number of ventral (more than 250) and subcaudal (more than 26) scales than other coralsnakes.⁴ The only other snake having a similar coloration in Ecuador is M. scutiventris. However, individuals of this species are smaller in body size and have less than 32 red to yellow ventral bands and males have less than 250 ventral scales.⁴

Figure showing and adult female individual of Micrurus melanotus

Figure 1: Adult female individual of Micrurus melanotus from Suchipakari Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador.

Natural history: Micrurus melanotus is an extremely rare semi-fossorial snake that inhabits pristine to moderately disturbed rainforests, occurring also in clearings and forest borders near agricultural areas.^4,6 Individuals have been seen active on the leaf-litter during the day or at night.^4–7 They also have been found hidden under logs or buried under soil.¹ These snakes actively forage in search of prey, which includes snakes (species in the genus Epictia),⁸ lizards (species in the genus Bachia),⁵ and caecilians (Oscaecilia bassleri).⁷ Black-backed Coralsnakes rely on their camouflage and secretive habits as a primary defense mechanism. They are more calm and docile than other coralsnake species. If disturbed, they engage in complex and seemingly erratic behavior: they hide the head beneath body coils, crawl spasmodically forward and then backward, and display the brightly colored underside of the tail as a decoy.^1,4,6 The venom in M. melanotus is neurotoxic and is probably lethal to humans, but only one published record of envenomation exist.⁴ A Huaorani woman developed mild symptoms after being bitten. These included local pain, facial numbness, and headache.⁴

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Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..^4,9 Micrurus melanotus is included in this category because the species is widely distributed, occurs in major protected areas, has presumed stable populations, and is currently facing no major widespread extinction threats. The most important threat to the long-term survival of some populations is habitat destruction mostly due to mining, oil extraction, and the expansion of the agricultural frontier.⁴

Distribution: Micrurus melanotus is native to the western Amazon basin and the adjacent foothills of the Andes in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador (Fig. 2), and Perú.

Figure 2: Distribution of Micrurus melanotus in Ecuador. The star corresponds to the type locality: Sarayacu. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.

Etymology: The name Micrurus is derived from the Greek words mikros (=small) and oura (=tail), referring to the short tail in members of this group.³ The specific epithet melanotus comes from the Greek words melas (=black) and notos (=back),¹⁰ referring to the entirely black dorsal coloration.

See it in the wild: Black-backed Coralsnakes are usually found at a rate of about once every few years. In Ecuador, the locality having the greatest number of recent observations of Micrurus melanotus is Jatun Sacha Reserve, where these snakes are typically found along forest trails right after sunset, especially after a warm and rainy day.

Acknowledgments: This account was published with the support of Secretaría Nacional de Educación Superior Ciencia y Tecnología (programa INEDITA; project: Respuestas a la crisis de biodiversidad: la descripción de especies como herramienta de conservación; No 00110378), Programa de las Naciones Unidas (PNUD), and Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ).

Author: Alejandro Arteaga^aAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.

Photographer: Jose Vieira^bAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.^,^cAffiliation: ExSitu, Quito, Ecuador.

How to cite? Arteaga A (2021) Black-backed Coralsnake (Micrurus melanotus). 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/MYDK2345

Literature cited:

Duellman WE (1978) The biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador. Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas 65: 1–352.
Schramer TD, Kalki Y, Wylie DB (2018) Micrurus narduccii melanotus (Andean Black-backed Coralsnake): maximum length. Herpetological Review 49: 551.
Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004) The venomous reptiles of the western hemisphere. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 774 pp.
Valencia JH, Garzón-Tello K, Barragán-Paladines ME (2016) Serpientes venenosas del Ecuador: sistemática, taxonomía, historial natural, conservación, envenenamiento y aspectos antropológicos. Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Quito, 653 pp.
Roze JA (1996) Coral snakes of the Americas: biology, indentification, and venoms. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, 328 pp.
Field notes, Reptiles of Ecuador book project.
Ramos JA (2017) Micrurus narduccii (Leptomicrurus narduccii) (Andean Blackback Coralsnake): diet. Herpetologcal Review 48: 677–678.
Carrillo de Espinosa N (1983) Contribución al conocimiento de las serpientes venenosas del Perú de las familias Viperidae, Elapidae, e Hydrophiidae (Ophidia: Reptilia). Publicaciones del Museo de Historia Natural “Javier Prado,” Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Serie Zoología 30: 1–55.
Carrillo E, Aldás A, Altamirano M, Ayala F, Cisneros-Heredia DF, Endara A, Márquez C, Morales M, Nogales F, Salvador P, Torres ML, Valencia J, Villamarín F, Yánez-Muñoz M, Zárate P (2005) Lista roja de los reptiles del Ecuador. Fundación Novum Millenium, Quito, 46 pp.
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 Micrurus melanotus in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.

Country	Province	Locality	Source
Colombia	Caquetá	Chonchillosa	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Colombia	Putumayo	Estación de bombeo Guamuéz (=Guamués)	KU 140414
Colombia	Putumayo	Río Putumayo	FMNH 165335
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Achuentz	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Amazonas	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Chanala–Macas trail	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Chiguaza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Macas	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Macuma	UIMNH 61059
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Puerto Morona	Photo by Fernando Ayala
Ecuador	Morona Santiago	Turula	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Archidona	CAS 143302
Ecuador	Napo	Arosemena Tola, 0.7 km S of	KU 202955
Ecuador	Napo	Gareno Lodge	This work
Ecuador	Napo	Jatun Sacha Biological Station	Hernández-Sánchez 2013
Ecuador	Napo	Jumandy	MHNG 2441.015
Ecuador	Napo	Misahuallí	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Río Payamino	USNM 232456
Ecuador	Napo	Río Suno	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Napo	Suchipakari Lodge	This work
Ecuador	Orellana	Ávila Viejo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Bloque 16	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Edén	Campbell & Lamar 2004
Ecuador	Orellana	El Coca	MHNG 2248.093
Ecuador	Orellana	Hollín–Loreto–Coca, km 65	MHNG 2453.018
Ecuador	Orellana	Kawymeno (Kawimeno)	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Loreto	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Ñoneno (Ñuneno)	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Pozo Ewe	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Río Cotapino	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	Río Huataraco	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Orellana	San José de Payamino	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Andoas	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Arajuno	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Bobonaza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Canelos	Ortega-Andrade 2010
Ecuador	Pastaza	Centro Shuar Amazonas	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Copataza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Montalvo	USNM 232470
Ecuador	Pastaza	Pucayacu (Río Pucayacu)	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Puyo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Quehueiriono	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Arajuno, headwaters of	USNM 232459
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Bufeo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Capahuari	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Conambo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Copataza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Corrientes	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Oglán Alto	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Pastaza	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Pindo	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Río Tigre	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Sarayacu*	Peters 1881
Ecuador	Pastaza	Shell	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Pastaza	Sumak Kawsay In Situ	iNaturalist
Ecuador	Pastaza	Villano K32	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Lago Agrio	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Limoncocha	Schramer et al. 2018
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Puerto El Carmen	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Putumayo	Nogueira et al. 2019
Ecuador	Sucumbíos	Santa Cecilia	Duellman 1978
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Tundayme	Valencia et al. 2016
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Valle del Quimi	Betancourt et al. 2018
Ecuador	Zamora Chinchipe	Yantzaza	UMMZ 90823
Perú	Amazonas	Aguaruna Village	MVZ 163413
Perú	Amazonas	La Poza	USNM 549433
Perú	Amazonas	Puerto Galilea	USNM 549431
Perú	Amazonas	San Antonio, Río Cenepa	USNM 316646
Perú	Loreto	Jeberos	Campbell & Lamar 2004