Year of the Snake - No. 39 Sonoran Coralsnake

Micruroides euryxanthus

My dad and I were out on the back porch one evening about 7 p.m. I was trying to take a picture of lightening since it was the monsoon season. I was concentrating on the horizon when my dad said, "Hey, there's a snake!"

When I looked at it I was shocked to see a Coralsnake. I yelled, "It's a Coral!" I dropped my lens cap and ran inside to grab my small hook. We chased him around for a few minutes before scooping him up into a small plastic container.

This is the first one I have ever seen. I was surprised to see it because I wasn't sure their range came this far north. They are very pretty snakes, and are members of the elapid family (related to cobras, mambas and kraits).

This one was full-grown at about 15 inches. They are long and thin snakes with a very small head. Their venom is supposed to be 10 times as toxic as a king cobra's. But they are very shy, non-aggressive and you are lucky if you ever see one.

We kept him in a terrarium for a few days and showed him to our homeschool co-op. Then released him.

This coralsnake helped me win a dollar from a friend's dad who doubted it was a true coral snake. He has lived in the area for 38 years and this was only the 3rd coralsnake he has seen.

Some mimics of his pattern include Arizona Mountain Kingsnake and Shovel-nosed Snakes.

The Sonoran Shovel-nosed is probably the hardest to tell from it because the popular rhyme ("Red touch black, venom lack) doesn't apply. The Coralsnake has a black snout though. And the Sonoran Shovel-nosed has a very limited range.

Probably, the coolest find of the year. This one is worth 10!