UWI
The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour Micrurus circinalis (Common Coral Snake or Corail)
Family: Elapidae (Cobras and Coral Snakes)
Order: Squamata (Lizards and Snakes)
Class: Reptilia (Reptiles)
Fig. 1. Common coral snake, Micrurus circinalis.
[http://www.trinidad-tobagoherps.org/Micrurcircinalis.htm, accessed 4th November, 2011]
TRAITS. The coral snakes belong to the family Elapidae which are widespread across tropical
and sub-tropical areas. The coral snakes are one of the most diverse sections of the Elapidae,
with a geographic distribution over the southwest United States, Central America, to southern
Argentina. These snakes are venomous and their venom can be very potent. Coral snake venom
show high neurotoxicity; the venom affects the nervous systems of the victim. Coral snakes are
very distinctive by their red, white/yellow, and black coloured banding. Micrurus circinalis
(common or small coral snake, or corail in Trinidad; it is absent from Tobago) in particular, is
tri-coloured with red, white and black bands (Fig.1) with a small and rounded shape head with
medium sized eyes with round pupils. Micrurus circinalis has very smooth dorsal scales and a
very slender body. They have a pair of short hollow fangs at the front of their mouths. Adults
grow to an average length of 40-50 cm at the adult stage.
ECOLOGY. Micrurus circinalis can be found on the island of Trinidad, and also on the
mainland of Venezuela and Guyana. More specifically they tend to inhabit the rain forest and
wet to intermediate low montane forest, from sea level to as high as 400 m (Mohammadi, 1996).
They may also be found in disturbed areas such as gardens and waste ground, sometimes near
houses. They are fossorial and spend most of their time in the soil or burrows made by other
1 UWI
The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour animals, and beneath leaf litter or fallen tree branches and trunks. The small coral snake is
terrestrial and tends to feed on locally available lizards and small snakes including other coral
snakes, also other small animals that may be in its habitat.
ACTIVITY. Not much is known about the activity of Micrurus circinalis. They are fossorial in
nature so most of their time is spend within the top layer of loose soil or under dense leaf litter or
in the burrows of other animals. They usually forage within the habitat that they are in meaning
within the soil and above leaf litter. Micrurus circinalis is known to be cannibalistic in nature
eating snakes within its own family. They also feed on lizards, invertebrates and other small
species of snakes which are easily available within range of their habitat.
FORAGING BEHAVIOUR. The small coral snake foraging behaviour shows that they have a
preference for consuming small snakes and lizards, they also are capable of eating their own
species (Marques and Sazima, 1997). Micrurus circinalis is a fossorial snake and spends most of
its time within losse top soil and leaf litter; in the ground. Since they spend their time in these
areas they tend to forage within the same place. In addition to being cannibalistic, feeding on
their own species, they prey on other small species of snakes such as Atractus trilineatus and
Ninia atrata, they also feed on lizards such as Amphisbaena fuliginosa and Bachia heteropa.
When the prey is caught the Micrurus circinalis bites into the victim with its fixed front fangs
and engages in a chewing action which aids in passing the venom to the victim. The small coral
snake therefore holds onto its victim for a short period of time.
COMMUNICATION. Micrurus circinalis is a very reclusive snake and has not been studied
much therefore little is known about their communication behaviour. The small coral snakes
have underdeveloped sight and hearing therefore their others senses had to be developed for
survival. The most important sense would be the sense of smell. This sense is used to determine
if predators or pray is around. It is also used to determine if another member of the opposite sex
is near during mating season. The chemicals emitted by various predators, prey, mates and other
species of animals are revealed to the snake through it sense of smell. This is done by the use of
the Jacobson organ. This organ works with the olfactory part of the brain and the nostrils and
allows for scent recognition. The snakes also use their tongues as a sense of touch and are also
very aware of changes in temperature in the surroundings and infrared radiation changes.
SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR. Micrurus circinalis seem to be very active during the rainy season of
the year. In Trinidad copulation is observed to be during the months of January to May. The
small coral snake is an oviparious species, which means that they lay eggs. These eggs are laid
between the months of July to September. Each snake lays about 2-6 eggs per clutch (Redtox,
2011).
JUVENILE BEHAVIOUR. Other than the knowledge that Micrurus circinalis is an oviparious
species not much more is known. When the eggs hatch the babies emerge with their colour
bandings and are about 10 cm in length.
ANTIPREDATOR BEHAVIOUR. The Micrurus circinalis have a very unpredictable
temperament. They appear to be very reclusive and docile or extremely irritable depending on
their condition and environment. When hungry they can be quite irritable but when well fed and
2 UWI
The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour in a cool environment they can show signs of being very docile (Bachleda, 2001). They tend to
stay away/ stay hidden from other organisms. Therefore their defence mechanisms would include
staying hidden. When approached a coral snake would try to most likely try to escape. Even
though they are a shy species when mishandled they will attack. Their behaviour can become
aggressive leading to biting and the release of venom upon biting.
REFERENCES
Bachleda, F.L. (2001). Dangerous Wildlife in the Southeast: A Guide to Safe Encounters at Home and in the wild.
Menasha ridge press. Birmingham.
Marques, O.A.V. and I. Sazima, I. (1997). Diet and feeding behaviour of the coral snake Micrurus corallinus, from
the Atlantic forest of Brazil. Herpetological Natural History, 88-93.
Mohammadi, S. (1996). Life desks - snake species of the world. http://snakesoftheworld.lifedesks.org/pages/915,
accessed 4 November 2011.
Redtox (2011). Micrurus circinalis. Duméril and Bibron, 1854.
http://www.redtox.org/rt3/servlet/CtrlVerArt?clvart=3693, accessed 4 November, 2011.
OTHER SOURCES
Diana Cooper. Interesting Facts about Coral Snakes2010.National Geographic
[http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/55029.aspx]. Accessed 4th November,
2011
The Common Coral Snake. Chaguaramas wildlife. [http://www.chagdev.com/Pages/Chag-WildLifeCommonCoralsnake.htm]. Accessed 4th November, 2011.
Armed Forces Pest Management Board- venomous animals. U.S. Army Garrison - Forest Glen.
[http://www.afpmb.org/content/venomous-animals-m#Micruruscircinalis]. Accessed 4th November, 2011.
Dangerous plants and animals. 2000. [http://library.thinkquest.org/C007974/2_3cor.htm]. Accessed 4th November,
2011.
Mark O'Shea. Venomous Snakes of the World. 2008. the New Holland publisher (UK). London.
Clinical toxicology resources Micrurus circinalis.
[http://www.toxinology.com/fusebox.cfm?fuseaction=main.snakes.display&id=SN0347]. Accessed 4th
November, 2011.
Texas Junior Naturalist. Snakes. [http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/junior_naturalists/moresnakes.phtml].
Accessed 4th November, 2011.
Coral snakes- senses. [http://www.coral-snake.com/body-structure/senses.html]. Accessed 4th November, 2011.
Hans E. A. Boos. Snakes of Trinidad and Tobago. 2001. Texas A&M University Press.
Author: Kristina Sankar
Posted online: 2012
For educational use only ‐ copyright of images remains with original source
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