| − | '''Coral snakes''' are a highly [[venom | venomous]] [[snake]] common in [[North America]]. Coral snakes are really famous for their red, yellow, and black colored bands. A lot of nonvenomous snakes like the [[Milk snake]] have similar colors due to [[mimicry]]. However, it is really easy to tell them apart using the [[nursery rhyme]]: "red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, venom lack." | + | '''Coral snakes''' are a highly [[venom | venomous]] [[snake]] common in [[North America]]. Coral snakes are really famous for their red, yellow, and black colored bands. A lot of nonvenomous snakes like the [[milk snake]] and [[king snake]] have similar colors due to [[mimicry]]. However, it is really easy to tell them apart using the [[nursery rhyme]]: "red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, venom lack." In coral snakes, the red bands are bounded on each side by yellow bands and red does not touch black. In nonvenomous snakes mimicing coral snakes, the red bands are bounded on each side by black bands and red does not touch yellow. Another way of telling them apart is to know which areas where coral snakes are native. |
| | + | There are three species of coral snakes in the United States: the eastern coral snake (''Micrurus fulvius'') is found in parts of the Carolinas, down to Florida, and west across Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to southeastern Louisiana. The Texas coral snake, ''Micrurus tener'' is found in Texas and western Louisiana, and the Arizona coral snake, ''Micruroides euryxanthus'' is found in Arizona and a small part of New Mexico. |