Bright showy coloring that catches the eye is a signal that the coral asp is deadly. Science has proven that only a third of the bites of this snake are accompanied by the injection of toxin, but the victim, who is unlucky, will live no more than a day if she is not provided with timely assistance.
Description
Coral asp (Micrurus) is the common name of a genus of venomous snakes, uniting more than forty species known today. Most representatives of this genus live in the vastness of Central and South America. Only the harlequin coral asp is also found in North America (the northern limit of the distribution range of this species captures the states of Kentucky and Indiana in the USA).
The smallest representatives of asps are cobra and common coral. Their length is only about fifty centimeters. The body of the largest, giant coral asp, can reach one and a half meters in length.
These snakes are characterized by a small, flat head, the absence of a pronounced cervical interception, the spindle-shaped body ends in a small tail. Eyessmall, with round pupils. Very small poisonous teeth are located inside a small, rather weakly expanding mouth. Unusually bright, variegated coloration is a distinctive feature of all snakes of this genus. A typical example is the common coral asp (photo below).
The alternation of red, black and yellow (white) rings on the body occurs in the correct order, at regular intervals. The sizes of the rings and the order of alternation are individual for asps of each species.
Lifestyle
As a rule, the coral asp leads a secretive, nocturnal lifestyle. During daylight hours, he hides in burrows dug in the ground, as well as in piles of fallen leaves and dry branches. This snake is most active at dusk and before dawn. Its main food, as a rule, is lizards and small snakes, since small fangs are simply not able to bite through the skin of a larger creature. Occasionally it also feeds on frogs and small rodents.
The coral asp attacks, rushing forward at lightning speed with its mouth wide open. For one bite, he is able to inject from six to twelve milligrams of poison into the body of the victim, while a dose of 4-6 milligrams of this toxin is fatal for a person. However, aspid bites people very rarely. As a rule, this happens by accidental contact or when they, attracted by the beautiful coloration, disturb the snake or try to touch it. At the site of the bite, usually there is not even swelling, sometimes there is no pain. However, without medical attention, a person bitten by an asp can die in less thanday. Those who survived will forever have serious kidney problems, so it is best not to touch the asps and not keep them at home.
Reproduction
The mating season for coral asps occurs twice a year: in late spring-early summer and late summer-early autumn. The males of this genus of snakes have rather poor eyesight, and they find females with difficulty. In addition, they are very aggressive. Often, instead of the mating ritual, during which the male coral snake strokes the female's back with his nose, a real duel takes place between snakes of different sexes.
As a rule, in May-June, females lay eggs (from four to eight) in a hole dug in the ground. Each egg can be up to four centimeters long. In August or September, small snakes are born. They have the same coloration as adults, and, leaving the nest, immediately begin an independent life.
Interesting facts
When faced with an obstacle, for example, a stone, the coral asp is usually frightened, hiding its head under its folded torso. At the same time, he rolls from side to side, and raises the back of the body vertically, curling his tail into a ring.
The coral snake is the only venomous snake in North America that lays eggs. All others give birth to live cubs.
Feeding on other types of snakes, the asp is sometimes not averse to profiting from relatives. During the mating season, the deadly fight of coral asps can begin immediately after mating.
Due to the bright colors of this snake, it is sometimes also called "harlequin" or "candy". And local residents in some regions of the habitat of this reptile call it "minute snake". The coral asp kills the animal bitten by it within a minute (we are talking about small prey).
