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Aspidelaps lubricus (Coral snake)
Koraalslang [Afrikaans}; Inkamela [Xhosa]
Life >
Eukaryotes
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Opisthokonta >
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Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class:
Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) >
Tetrapoda
(four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota >
Reptilia (reptiles) >
Romeriida > Diapsida > Lepidosauromorpha > Lepidosauria >
Squamata > Serpentes
(snakes) > Family: Elapidae > Genus:
Aspidelaps
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Aspidelaps lubricus lubricus (Cape Coral snake),
Western Cape [T. Phelps ©,from
SARCA
Virtual Museum] |
Aspidelaps lubricus lubricus (Cape Coral snake),
Western Cape [J. Els © from
SARCA
Virtual Museum] |
Identification
Easily identified by its orange or red colouration and
multiple black bars extending down the length of its body (including one that
runs down from the eye to the mouth), It can also be identified by a single
enlarged nasal scale and its narrow hood. This snake seldom grows beyond 40 cm
in length.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution of the three different subspecies
distinguised in southern Africa is as follows:
- Aspidelaps lubricus lubricus (Cape coral snake). Western Cape,
Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Southern Namibia.
-
Aspidelaps lubricus cowlesi (Angolan Coral snake). North-western Namibia
-
Aspidelaps lubricus infuscatus (Western Coral snake). Northern and
central Namibia.
Food
Feeds on lizards, small snakes and
rodents
(e.g. rats and
mice).
Predators, parasites and disease
Fed on by other snakes.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg laying), lays between 3 and 11 eggs in
summer and has been known to lay several batches of eggs during the summer.
Longevity
Has a maximum lifespan of 9 years.
Medical importance
This Coral snake species has dangerous neurotoxic venom
which has to date not caused any deaths, despite this it is still dangerous and
requires urgent medical treatment. No antivenom is produced or required.
Links
References
-
Broadley, D.G. 1983. FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern
Africa. Delta Books, Johannesburg.
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Marais, J. 2004. A Complete Guide to Snakes of Southern Africa.
Struik Publishing, Cape Town.
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