The name coral snake is used to describe several species of snake which have skins decorated with a series of different brightly coloured bangles. They are very difficult to identify as the sequence and colour combinations of these ring patterns vary enormously. Attempts to classify these dangerous reptiles are not helped by the fact that there are a number of entirely unrelated American species of non-poisonous colubrid with almost identical skin colours and patterns. The utmost caution is advisable when confronted with a snake of this sort; it takes an expert to tell a coral snake from a harmless snake.
Coral snakes are related to the cobras and are just as poisonous. Fortunately they are not very aggressive, another characteristic shared by cobras, and even display a certain reluctance to bite. Coral snake venom acts on the nervous system. And in cases where the bite is deep death can follow within 24 hours. Fatalities are relatively infrequent, however, because coral snakes have short fangs and cannot open their mouth as wide as vipers do. They therefore have to make a deep puncture in the skin before they inject their venom.
Their food consists of small lizards and other snakes. In their turn other larger snakes such as the king snakes and the mussurana eat these snake eaters (it is a snake eat snake world.) Coral snakes are most active at night. By day they hide beneath stones or in the leaf litter and humus of the forest. They are seldom seen except during rainy weather when they move about during the day. Many snakes imitate the pattern of the deadly coral snake so they won't be bothered. Their patterns hardly differ so both snakes get ignored. It is one of the best mimicking abilities in the snake world.
