Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith, Helen Pheasey, Para La Tierra and Daniel Hoops and are used with permission.
AESCULAPIAN FALSE CORAL Erythrolamprus aesculapii
Superficially at least, this is one of the more convincing "False corals", mimics of the venomous Micrurus coral snakes. It can be relatively easily told apart though if you know what to look for. First note that all but one of the Paraguayan true corals has a triad pattern (three black bands separated by white or yellow) that is absent in this species - it is what is known as a bicolor mimic. Secondly note that the only Paraguayan coral that lacks triads, Micrurus corallinus has a red to yellow band pattern, whilst this species is red to black. Easy, see?!
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPREP968PH) Adult Procosara, PN San Rafael, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith July 2017).
FIGURE 2 - (FPREP969PH) Same individual as (FPREP968PH) head (Paul Smith July 2017).
FIGURE 3 - (FPREP970PH) Same individual as (FPREP968PH) dorsal (Paul Smith July 2017).
FIGURE 4 - (FPREP783PH) Adult, Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 5 - (FPREP784PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 6 - (FPREP785PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 7 - (FPREP786PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) dorsal (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 8 - (FPREP787PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) ventral (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 9 - (FPREP788PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) head lateral (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 10 - (FPREP789PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) head dorsal (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 11 - (FPREP790PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) head ventral (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 12 - (FPREP791PH) Same individual as (FPREP783PH) cloaca (Helen Pheasey February 2013 - Para La Tierra).
FIGURE 13 - (FPREP502PH) Adult, PN Cerro Cora, Departamento Amambay (Daniel Hoops April 2010).

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