Micrurus diastema

Micrurus diastema, commonly known as the variable coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to southeastern Mexico and northern Central America.[1] There are seven recognized subspecies.[3]

Micrurus diastema
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Micrurus
Species:
M. diastema
Binomial name
Micrurus diastema
Synonyms[2]
  • Elaps diastema
    A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
  • Micrurus diastema
    — Schmidt, 1933

Distribution and habitat

M. diastema occurs in tropical wet, moist, and dry forest from near sea level to 1,250 m (4,100 ft) in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras.[1]

Reproduction

M. diastema is oviparous.[2]

Subspecies

There are seven subspecies which are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[3]

  • Micrurus diastema affinis (Jan, 1858)
  • Micrurus diastema aglaeope (Cope, 1860)
  • Micrurus diastema alienus (F. Werner, 1903)
  • Micrurus diastema apiatus (Jan, 1858)
  • Micrurus diastema diastema (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
  • Micrurus diastema macdougalli Roze, 1967
  • Micrurus diastema sapperi (F. Werner, 1903)

Etymology

The subspecific name, macdougalli, is in honor of naturalist Thomas Baillie MacDougall (1896–1973).[4]

The subspecific name, sapperi, is in honor of German explorer Karl Theodor Sapper.[4]

References
  1. Lee J, Lopez-Luna MA (2007). "Micrurus diastema". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2011.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Species Micrurus diastema at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
  3. "Micrurus diastema ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Micrurus diastema macdougalli, p. 164; M. d. sapperi, p. 232).

Further reading
  • Duméril A-M-C, Bibron G, Duméril A[-H-A] (1854). Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Deuxième partie. Comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux (= General Herpetology or Complete Natural History of the Reptiles. Volume 7. Second Part. Containing the [Natural] History of the Venomous Snakes). Paris: Roret. xii + pp. 781–1536. (Elaps diastema, new species, p. 1222). (in French).
  • Heimes P (2016). Snakes of Mexico: Herpetofauna Mexicana Vol. I. Frankfurt, Germany: Chimaira. 572 pp. ISBN 978-3899731002.
  • Schmidt KP (1933). "Preliminary Account of the Coral Snakes of Central America and Mexico". Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Zool. Ser. 20 (6): 29-40. (Micrurus diastema, new combination, pp. 38–39).
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