Corpse alpin: features, lifestyle, habitats

A bright spectacular coloring, eye-catching, is a signal that a coral aspid is deadly dangerous. Science has proven that injecting a toxin is accompanied by only a third of the bites of this snake, but the victim, who is unlucky, will live no more than a day if she does not receive timely assistance.

Description

Aspid coral (Micrurus) - a common name for the genus of poisonous snakes, which unites more than forty known species today. Most representatives of this genus live in the open spaces of Central and South America. Only harlequin coral aspidum is also found in North America (the northern boundary of the distribution area of this species is occupied by the states of Kentucky and Indiana in the USA).

The smallest representatives of aspides are cobra and coral ordinary. Their length is only about fifty centimeters. The body of the largest, giant coral aspidum can reach a length of one and a half meters.

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. Eyes small, with round pupils. Very small poisonous teeth are located inside a small, rather weakly stretched mouth. Extraordinarily bright, colorful coloring is a distinctive feature of all snakes of this genus. A typical example is an ordinary coral aspid (photo below).

The alternation of red, black and yellow (white) rings on the body takes place in the right order, at the same intervals. The sizes of the rings and the order of alternation are individual for the aspides of each species.

Lifestyle

As a rule, the coral slug leads a secretive, nocturnal lifestyle. Throughout the daylight hours, he hides in holes dug in the ground, as well as in heaps of fallen leaves and dry branches. This snake is most active in the twilight and before dawn. Its main food, as a rule, is lizards and small snakes, because small fangs are simply not able to bite the skin of a larger creature. Occasionally it also feeds on frogs and small rodents.

Attacks the corpse aspid, rushing forward with a wide open mouth. For one bite, he is able to inject into the body of the victim from six to twelve milligrams of poison, whereas the dose of 4-6 milligrams of this toxin to humans is fatal. However, people bite the bastard very rarely. As a rule, this happens in case of accidental contact or when they, attracted by beautiful coloration, disturb the snake or try to touch it. At the site of the bite, there is usually no swelling, and sometimes there is no pain. However, without medical assistance, a person bitten by a sapid can die in less than a day. Those who survived will always have serious problems with the kidneys, so it is best not to touch the asphids and not to keep them at home.

Reproduction

The marital period for coral aspides occurs twice a year: at the end of spring-early summer and late summer-early autumn. In males of this genus the snake has a rather weak vision, and the females find it difficult. In addition, they are very aggressive. Often, instead of the marriage ritual, during which the male coral aspida strokes the female nose on the back, between the snakes of different sex is a real duel.

As a rule, in May-June females lay eggs (from four to eight) in a burrow dug in the ground. The length of each egg can reach four centimeters. In August or September small snakes appear. They have the same coloration as the adults, and, leaving the nest, immediately begin an independent life.

Interesting Facts

Faced with an obstacle, for example - a stone, coral slug is usually frightened, hides its head under a collapsed body. At the same time, it rolls from side to side, and the rear part of the body is lifted vertically, turning the tail into a ring.

Coral aspid is the only poisonous snake in North America, laying eggs. All the rest give birth to live cubs.

Eating other kinds of snakes, the aspid sometimes likes to profit and relatives. During the mating season, a deadly battle of coral asps can begin immediately after mating.

Due to the bright coloration of this snake, it is sometimes also called "harlequin" or "candy". And the locals in some regions of the habitat of this reptile call it "the minute snake". A coral assy kills an animal that has been bitten by it for a minute (it is a question of small prey).