Bogert's coral snake (''Micrurus bogerti'') is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
venomous snake
Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow or g ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Elapidae
Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids ; grc, ἔλλοψ ''éllops'' "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs at the front of the mouth. Most elapids are venomous, with the exception of the genus Emydoceph ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to southern
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name, ''bogerti'', is in honor of American herpetologist
Charles Mitchill Bogert
Charles Mitchill Bogert (June 4, 1908 – April 10, 1992) was an American herpetologist, and curator of herpetology and researcher for the American Museum of Natural History.
Early life and education
Born in Mesa, Colorado, Bogert was a technici ...
.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Micrurus bogerti'', p. 30).]
Geographic range
''M. bogerti'' is native to the Pacific coast of
Oaxaca
Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...
in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, ranging from
Puerto Angel
Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to:
Places
*El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain
*Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
*Puerto Colombia, Colombia
*Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela
*Puerto Galera, Orient ...
to
San Pedro Tapanatepec
San Pedro Tapanatepec is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in southeastern Mexico. It is part of the Juchitán District in the west of the Istmo de Tehuantepec region.
The town was founded on 23 April 1669, and became a municipality on March 15, 18 ...
.
Habitat
Known from a few specimens from four localities, ''M. bogerti'' is found in tropical deciduous forest, dry coastal forest, and scrub forest.
Description
''M. bogerti'' has a black snout, followed by a yellow parietal band, followed by a black nuchal band. The body is red with 16–19 black rings. The black rings, which are narrower than the red spaces between them, are edged with yellow or white rings which are even narrower. The red spaces are 6–8
dorsal scales
In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales
In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down t ...
wide; the black rings, 3–4 dorsals; and the yellow or white rings, 1–2 dorsals.
[
]
Reproduction
''M. bogerti'' is oviparous.[ www.reptile-database.org.]
Conservation status
No conservations measures are known, but ''M. bogerti'' is protected by Mexican law.
Taxonomy
There are no recognized subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of ''M. bogerti''.
References
Further reading
* Campbell JA, Lamar WW (1989). ''The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America''. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press. xiv + 430 pp., 568 figures, 109 distribution maps, 31 tables. .
* Heimes P (2016). ''Snakes of Mexico: Herpetofauna Mexicana Vol. I''. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Chimaira. 572 pp. .
* Liner EA (2007). "A Checklist of the Amphibians and Reptiles of México". ''Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University'' 80: 1–60. (''Micrurus bogert'', p. 53).
* Mata-Silva V, Johnson JD, Wilson LD, García-Padilla E (2015). "The herpetofauna of Oaxaca, Mexico: composition, physiographic distribution, and conservation status". ''Mesoamerican Herpetology'' 2 (1): 6–62.
* Roze, Jánis A. (1967). " A Check List of the New World Venomous Coral Snakes (Elapidae), with Descriptions of New Forms". ''American Museum Novitates'' (2287): 1-60. (''Micrurus bogerti'', new species, pp. 9–11, Figure 3).
Micrurus
Reptiles described in 1967
Endemic reptiles of Mexico
{{Elapidae-stub