Micrurus diastema

Micrurus diastema
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Elapidae
Genus:	Micrurus
Species:	M. diastema
Binomial name
Micrurus diastema (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
Synonyms [2]
Elaps diastema A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854 Micrurus diastema — Schmidt, 1933

Micrurus diastema, commonly known as the variable coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to southeastern Mexico and northern Central America. ^[1] There are seven recognized subspecies. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

M. diastema occurs in tropical wet, moist, and dry forest from near sea level to 1,250 m (4,100 ft) in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. ^[1]

Reproduction

M. diastema is oviparous. ^[2]

Subspecies

There are seven subspecies which are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. ^[3]

• Micrurus diastema affinis(Jan, 1858)
• Micrurus diastema aglaeope(Cope, 1860)
• Micrurus diastema alienus(F. Werner, 1903)
• Micrurus diastema apiatus(Jan, 1858)
• Micrurus diastema diastema(A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
• Micrurus diastema macdougalli Roze, 1967
• Micrurus diastema sapperi(F. Werner, 1903)

Etymology

The subspecific name, macdougalli, is in honor of naturalist Thomas Baillie MacDougall (1896–1973). ^[4]

The subspecific name, sapperi, is in honor of German explorer Karl Theodor Sapper. ^[4]

References

1. Acevedo, M.; Ariano-Sánchez, D.; Lee, J.; Luque, I.; López-Luna, M.A.; Townsend, J.H. (2020). "Micrurus diastema". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020 e.T64021A176644473. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T64021A176644473.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Species Micrurus diastema at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
3. "Micrurus diastema ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 24 September 2011.
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Micrurus diastema macdougalli, p. 164; M. d. sapperi, p. 232).

Further reading

• Duméril A-M-C, Bibron G, Duméril A[-H-A] (1854). Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Deuxième partie. Comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux (= General Herpetology or Complete Natural History of the Reptiles. Volume 7. Second Part. Containing the [Natural] History of the Venomous Snakes). Paris: Roret. xii + pp. 781–1536. (Elaps diastema, new species, p. 1222). (in French).
• Heimes P (2016). Snakes of Mexico: Herpetofauna Mexicana Vol. I. Frankfurt, Germany: Chimaira. 572 pp. ISBN   978-3899731002.
• Schmidt KP (1933). "Preliminary Account of the Coral Snakes of Central America and Mexico". Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Zool. Ser.20 (6): 29-40. (Micrurus diastema, new combination, pp. 38–39).