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REPTILIA: SERPENTES: ELAPIDAE 



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MICRURUS 



Prepared by Janis Roze, American Museum of Natural History. New York, New York 

 MICRURUS Wagler 



1824 Micrurus Wagler, in Spix, Sp. Nov. Serp. Bras.: 48. Type-species: Micrurus sp ix i i Wagler. 

 Distribution: Southern United States throughout neotropical region to northern Argentina. 

 Content: Forty-six species, eight of which are ex tral im i tal. 



Key to the species 



Clave de espec i es 



1. Pattern of triads of black bands (black-white- 

 black-white-black) separated by red bands on 

 body 2 



Color pattern not forming triads 16 



2. Anal plate divided 



Anal plate undivided- 



3 



- hempr ich i i 



3. First triad represented by more than one band — 



1 



Only lastblack band of first body triad present 

 (first two black bands are absent )- dissoleucus 



4, First triad represented by two bands 5 



First triad complete, consisting of three 



black bands 5 



5. More than nine triads on body 6 



Fewer than ten triads on body sp ix i i 



6. Dorsum of head black, including parietals / 



Some light bands present on head 8 



7. Supra-anal tubercles present in males; fewer 



than 14 triads on body dumer i 1 i i 



No supra-anal tubercles present; 14 or more 

 triads on body bocourt i 



8. Temporals usually 0-1; white bands without 



black spots decoratus 



Temporals 1-1; white bands with abundant black 

 spots eleqans 



5. Several supracephal ic scales black, not out- 

 lined by black; frontal wider than supraocular 



IQ 



All supracephal ic scales red, outlined by 

 black; frontal not wider than supraocular; 6-5 

 complete triads on body sur inamens i s 



10. First triad normal; first white band not 



obi i que 11 



First two black bands in first triad anchor 

 shaped, outlining oblique first white band, 

 which is interrupted or nearly interrupted on 

 middorsal line; 12-21 black triads ancoralis 



1. Coloracion de triadas de bandas negras (negro- 



blanco-negro-blanco-negro) , separadas por 



bandas rojas, cubre todo el cuerpo 2 



Bandas negras no forman triadas 16 



2. Placa anal dividida 3 



Placa anal entera hempr ich i i 



3. Primera triada representada por mas de una 



ban da negra 4 



En primera triada solamente ultima banda negra 

 presente (dos bandas negras anteriores 

 ausentes) di ssoleucus 



4. Primera triada representada por dos bandas 



negras 5 



Primera triada completa, formada por tres 

 bandas negras 3 



5. Mas de nueve triadas sobre el cuerpo 6 



Menos de dlez triadas sobre el cuerpo sp i x i i 



6. Toda la parte superior de la cabeza negra, 



incluyendo parietales "J 



Bandas claras presentes en la parte superior de 

 la cabeza 8 



7. Tuberculos supraanales presentes en machos; 



menos de 14 triadas sobre el cuerpo — dumer i 1 i i 



No hay tuberculos supraanales; 14 mas triadas 



sobre el cuerpo bocourt i 



8. Temporales usualmente 0-1; bandas blancas sin 



manchas negras decoratus 



Temporales 1-1; bandas blancas con abundantes 

 manchas negras eleqans 



9. Varias escamas supracefal icas negras, sin 



hordes negros; frontal mas ancha que 



supraoculai 10 



Todas las escamas supracefal i cas rojas con 

 hordes negros; frontal no mas ancha que supra- 

 ocular; 6-3 triadas completas sobre el cuerpo- 

 sur i namens i s 



10. Primera triada normal; primera banda blanca no 



oblicua 11 



Primeras dos bandas negras de primera triada 

 forman una figura de ancla, primera banda 

 blanca oblicua, interrumpida casi interrum- 

 p i da sobre 1 i nea media dorsal; 12-21 triadas 

 negras sobre el cuerpo ancoral i s 



