Published September 27, 2021. Open access. | Gallery ❯ |
Ornate Coralsnake (Micrurus ornatissimus)
Reptiles of Ecuador | Serpentes | Elapidae | Micrurus | Micrurus ornatissimus
English common name: Ornate Coralsnake.
Spanish common name: Coral ornamentada.
Recognition: ♂♂ 87.9 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail. ♀♀ 93 cmMaximum distance from the snout to the tip of the tail..1 In Ecuador, the majority of true coralsnakes (genus Micrurus) can be distinguished from most, but no all, false coralsnakes by having brightly colored rings that encircle the body (rings evident on the belly), small eyes that are about the same size as the post-ocular scales, and no loreal scale.1,2 In the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, the Ornate Coralsnake (Micrurus ornatissimus) is one of three species in the genus having the black rings arranged in monads, rather than in triads.1 The other two snakes are M. langsdorfii, which has yellow rings with black scale tips instead of black rings, and M. steindachneri, a cloud forest species that has red rings that are wider than the black rings.1,3 Some individuals of the false coralsnake Erythrolamprus guentheri look extremely similar to M. ornatissimus, but the false coralsnake has eyes are considerably (6.4–6.6 times) larger than the adjacent preocular scales.
Figure 1: Individuals of Micrurus ornatissimus from Limoncocha, Sucumbíos province (), and Yarina Lodge, Orellana province (), Ecuador.
Natural history: RareTotal average number of reported observations per locality less than ten.. Micrurus ornatissimus is a terrestrial to semi-fossorial (living underground and at ground level) snake that inhabits pristine rainforests as well as clearings and rural gardens nearby forest border.1,4 Individuals have been seen active on soil or leaf-litter during the day or at night, especially after heavy rains.1,4 These snakes forage actively in search of prey, which consist primarily of snakes (Atractus orcesi and other unidentified ground snakes).1,5 Ornate Coralsnakes rely on their warning coloration as a primary defense mechanism. Individuals are usually calm and try to flee when threatened. 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 their bright tails as a decoy.1,4 They are also capable of striking if provoked. Individuals of M. ornatissimus are proteroglyphous (having fixed enlarged teeth towards the front of the maxilla) and venomous. Their venom is neurotoxic and is probably lethal to humans, but no published records of envenomation exist.1 A female from Morona Santiago province, Ecuador, laid a clutch of nine eggs that hatched after an incubation period of 73 days (slightly over two months).1 The neonates measured 17.6–22.6 cm in total length upon hatching.1 There is a record of another coralsnake species (M. steindachneri) preying upon an individual of M. ornatissimus.1
Conservation: Least Concern Believed to be safe from extinction given current circumstances..6–8 Micrurus ornatissimus 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.6 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.1
Distribution: Micrurus ornatissimus is native to the western Amazon basin and the adjacent foothills of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. In Ecuador, the species has been recorded at elevations between 138 and 1397 m (Fig. 2).
Figure 2: Distribution of Micrurus ornatissimus in Ecuador. See Appendix 1 for a complete list of the presence localities included in the map.
Etymology: The generic name Micrurus, which is derived from the Greek words mikros (meaning “small”) and oura (meaning “tail”), refers to the short tail in members of this group.2 The species epithet ornatissimus, which is derived from the Latin words ornatus (meaning “decoration”) and the suffix -issimus (meaning “very”), probably refers to the pattern of many short red and black rings.2
See it in the wild: Ornate Coralsnakes are usually found no more than once every few months at any given area. In Ecuador, the localities having the greatest number of recent observations are Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Yasuní Scientific Station, and Suchipakari Lodge. It appears that the best way to find Ornate Coralsnakes is to walk 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).
Special thanks to Tim Paine for symbolically adopting the Ornate Coralsnake and helping bring the Reptiles of Ecuador book project to life.
Click here to adopt a species.
Author: Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
Photographers: Alejandro ArteagaaAffiliation: Khamai Foundation, Quito, Ecuador. and Frank PichardoaAffiliation: Tropical Herping (TH), Quito, Ecuador.
How to cite? Arteaga A (2021) Ornate Coralsnake (Micrurus ornatissimus). 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/TABD5404
Literature cited:
- 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.
- Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004) The venomous reptiles of the western hemisphere. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 774 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.
- Photo by Dominik Hofer.
- Gagliardi G, Gonzales L, Valencia J (2017) Micrurus ornatissimus. The IUCN Red List of threatened species. Available from: www.iucnredlist.org. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T44582007A44582012.en
- Reyes-Puig C (2015) Un método integrativo para evaluar el estado de conservación de las especies y su aplicación a los reptiles del Ecuador. MSc thesis, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 73 pp.
- 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.
Appendix 1: Locality data used to create the distribution map of Micrurus ornatissimus in Ecuador (Fig. 2). Go to the section on symbols and abbreviations for a list of acronyms used.
| Country | Province | Locality | Source |
| Colombia | Putumayo | La Hormiga | Feitosa et al. 2015 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Puerto Asís | Schmidt 1955 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Río Putumayo | Schmidt 1955 |
| Colombia | Putumayo | Vereda San José | Campbell & Lamar 2004 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Achuentz | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Amazonas | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Bosque Protector Abanico | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Centro Shuar Kiim | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Chiguaza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Macas | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Makuma | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Mamayak | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Mashumarentsa | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Méndez | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Paantim | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Patuca, 1.5 km SW of | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sinaí | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Sucúa | Feitosa et al. 2015 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Tumpaim | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Morona Santiago | Uwi | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Bosque Protector Colonso Chalupas | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Jatun Sacha Biological Station | iNaturalist |
| Ecuador | Napo | Puerto Misahuallí | Feitosa et al. 2015 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Quehueiriono | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Santa Rosa de Otas | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Suchipakari Lodge | This work |
| Ecuador | Napo | Tena | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Napo | Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam | iNaturalist |
| Ecuador | Napo | Wild Sumaco Wildlife Sanctuary | Photo by Jeff Camper |
| Ecuador | Napo | Yachana Reserve | Whitworth & Beirne 2011 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Estación Científica Onkone Gare | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Loreto | 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 | Photo by Ross Maynard |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Shiripuno Lodge | Shiripuno Lodge staff |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tiputini | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Tiputini Biodiversity Station | This work |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Vía Pompeya Sur–Iro, km 105 | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Wati | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yarina Lodge | This work |
| Ecuador | Orellana | Yasuni Scientific Station | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Abitagua | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Alto Bobonaza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Andoas | Feitosa et al. 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Arajuno | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Canelos | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Kallana | MZUTI 5040 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Kurintza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Montalvo | Feitosa et al. 2015 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Pukuan | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Puyo | Photo by Jorge Flores |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Arajuno | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Bobonaza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Bufeo | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Copataza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Huiyoyacu | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Pastaza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Rutuno | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Tigre | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Río Villano | USNM 232435 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sarayacu | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Shell | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Pastaza | Sumak Kawsay In Situ | iNaturalist |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Lago Agrio | Duellman 1978 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Limoncocha | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Limoncocha, 2.6 km E of | This work |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Pozo Diamante | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | San Pablo de Kantesiya | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sani Lodge | This work |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Sansahuari | Photo by Martin Carrera |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Santa Cecilia | Duellman 1978 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Santa Rosa de Sucumbíos | Feitosa et al. 2015 |
| Ecuador | Sucumbíos | Yamanunca | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Los Encuentros | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Namacuntza | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Shaime | Campbell & Lamar 2004 |
| Ecuador | Zamora Chinchipe | Zumba | Valencia et al. 2016 |
| Peru | Loreto | Intuto, 60 km upstream from | Campbell & Lamar 2004 |
| Peru | Loreto | Nuevo Andoas | Campbell & Lamar 2004 |
| Peru | Loreto | Nuevo Andoas, 120 km downstream from | Campbell & Lamar 2004 |