A South American colubrid that mimics the bold red-and-black ringed pattern of true coral snakes but is harmless to humans.
Description
The South American false coral snake is a stout, blunt-headed snake about 70 cm long, ringed in broad red and black bands along the entire body. Unlike true coral snakes, the eyes are extremely small, and the tail ends abruptly with no rattle or distinct tip.
Behavior
False coral snakes are burrowers that spend most of their lives underground or in deep leaf litter, hunting eels, blind snakes, and amphisbaenians. They are non-venomous and rely on their warning colouration to deter predators. The species is considered a primitive snake lineage.
Range
Distributed across the Amazon basin and Guianas of northern South America, occurring in lowland tropical forest. The species is the sole member of the family Aniliidae and is sometimes placed near the root of the snake evolutionary tree.
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