Erythrolamprus aesculapii

Erythrolamprus aesculapii

''Erythrolamprus aesculapii'', commonly known as the false coral, ''boicora'', or ''falsa coral'', is a colubrid snake endemic to South America.
Erythrolamprus aesculapii - frontal view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia After coming down the bird watching tower in La Isla Escondida, which was a lot scarier than going up, we made way back to the lodge. Heavy rain started and likely this is why our guide Manuel ran into this snake crossing the path. Holes and creeks fill up with water during heavy rain, forcing some snakes to change position. Manuel captured the snake and it was taken to the nearby lodge for a few shots, and then released. At the time we were under the working assumption that this was a true coral snake, in hindsight it looks to be a false coral snake. Note that the name "false coral snake" is used for different species in this genus, that's why I'm using the binomial name. Note that this snake is quite tiny, the shots are cropped and/or taken with a macro lens. Release shot is at the end of the series. https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70340/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70341/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70342/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70344/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_frontal_view_ii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70345/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_release_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Erythrolamprus aesculapii,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

Naming

The following four subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies:

⤷ ''Erythrolamprus aesculapii aesculapii'' - Amazon River Basin
⤷ ''Erythrolamprus aesculapii monozonus'' Jan, 1863 - Brazil
⤷ ''Erythrolamprus aesculapii tetrazonus'' Jan, 1863 - southwestern Bolivia
⤷ ''Erythrolamprus aesculapii venustissimus'' - eastern Bolivia to southeastern Brazil and northeastern Argentina
Erythrolamprus aesculapii - top view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia After coming down the bird watching tower in La Isla Escondida, which was a lot scarier than going up, we made way back to the lodge. Heavy rain started and likely this is why our guide Manuel ran into this snake crossing the path. Holes and creeks fill up with water during heavy rain, forcing some snakes to change position. Manuel captured the snake and it was taken to the nearby lodge for a few shots, and then released. At the time we were under the working assumption that this was a true coral snake, in hindsight it looks to be a false coral snake. Note that the name "false coral snake" is used for different species in this genus, that's why I'm using the binomial name. Note that this snake is quite tiny, the shots are cropped and/or taken with a macro lens. Release shot is at the end of the series. https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70340/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70342/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70343/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_frontal_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70344/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_frontal_view_ii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70345/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_release_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Erythrolamprus aesculapii,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

Habitat

It is often found in the leaf litter or burrowing in the soil in rain forests.
Erythrolamprus aesculapii - frontal view II, La Isla Escondida, Colombia After coming down the bird watching tower in La Isla Escondida, which was a lot scarier than going up, we made way back to the lodge. Heavy rain started and likely this is why our guide Manuel ran into this snake crossing the path. Holes and creeks fill up with water during heavy rain, forcing some snakes to change position. Manuel captured the snake and it was taken to the nearby lodge for a few shots, and then released. At the time we were under the working assumption that this was a true coral snake, in hindsight it looks to be a false coral snake. Note that the name "false coral snake" is used for different species in this genus, that's why I'm using the binomial name. Note that this snake is quite tiny, the shots are cropped and/or taken with a macro lens. Release shot is at the end of the series. https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70340/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70341/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70342/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70343/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_frontal_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70345/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_release_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Erythrolamprus aesculapii,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

Food

It feeds mainly on other snakes, including venomous species.
Erythrolamprus aesculapii - release, La Isla Escondida, Colombia After coming down the bird watching tower in La Isla Escondida, which was a lot scarier than going up, we made way back to the lodge. Heavy rain started and likely this is why our guide Manuel ran into this snake crossing the path. Holes and creeks fill up with water during heavy rain, forcing some snakes to change position. Manuel captured the snake and it was taken to the nearby lodge for a few shots, and then released. At the time we were under the working assumption that this was a true coral snake, in hindsight it looks to be a false coral snake. Note that the name "false coral snake" is used for different species in this genus, that's why I'm using the binomial name. Note that this snake is quite tiny, the shots are cropped and/or taken with a macro lens. Release shot is at the end of the series. https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70340/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70341/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70342/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70343/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_frontal_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70344/erythrolamprus_aesculapii_-_frontal_view_ii_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Erythrolamprus aesculapii,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

Defense

This snake is mildly venomous.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusErythrolamprus
SpeciesE. aesculapii
Photographed in
Brazil
Colombia