''Sinomicrurus swinhoei'', also known as Swinhoe's temperate Asian coralsnake, is a highly

venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a ...

species of coral snake in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

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 Emydoce ...

. It 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 els ...

to Taiwan. The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

is in honor of the English naturalist

Robert Swinhoe Robert Swinhoe FRS (1 September 1836 – 28 October 1877) was an English diplomat and naturalist who worked as a Consul in Formosa. He catalogued many Southeast Asian birds, and several, such as Swinhoe's pheasant, are named after him. Biog ...

, who was first European consul in Taiwan. Common name has been proposed for it.

Taxonomy

Originally described as ''Calliophis swinhoei'' by

John Van Denburgh John Van Denburgh (August 23, 1872 – October 24, 1924) was an American herpetologist from California (who also used the name Van Denburgh in publications, hence this name is used below). Biography Van Denburgh was born in San Francisco and enr ...

in 1922, recent literature has treated it as subspecies of ''

Sinomicrurus macclellandi ''Sinomicrurus macclellandi'', commonly known as MacClelland's coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to southern and eastern Asia. Etymology The specific name, ''macclellandi'', is in h ...

''. However, it was elevated back to full species status as ''Sinomicrurus swinhoei'' in a 2021 revision of ''Sinomicrurus'' by Smart and colleagues.

Description

''S. swinhoei'' are relatively small snakes: males measure and females in

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the mos ...

(SVL). The tail is 10–16 % of SVL. Some sources suggests a much higher maximum total length (i.e., including tail), . There are 13

dorsal scale In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publ ...

rows, 223–239

ventral scales In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down the underside of the body from the neck to the anal scale. When counting them, the first is the anteriormost ventral scale that conta ...

in females and 207–221 in males, and 32–36

subcaudal scales In snakes, the subcaudal scales are the enlarged plates on the underside of the tail.Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. . These scales may be either single or divided (pair ...

in females and 36–41 in males. There are 1+1

temporal scales Temporal may refer to: Entertainment * Temporal (band), an Australian metal band * ''Temporal'' (Radio Tarifa album), 1997 * ''Temporal'' (Love Spirals Downwards album), 2000 * ''Temporal'' (Isis album), 2012 * ''Temporal'' (video game), a 200 ...

. The head is dorsally marked with broad cream to white band running across head behind eyes. The base color is brown-black to black. Ventrally, the head is white to very light gray. The snout is whitish. The body and tail are dorsally red to rusty brown, with scales flecked with diffuse dark brown or black. There are a series of narrow, black, light-edged cross bands, which can be incomplete on the flanks. Ventral coloration is cream to light gray with black irregular designs.

Venom

''Sinomicrurus swinhoei'' is highly

. Although it is not aggressive and very few reports of attacks have been reported, its venom is potentially life-threatening.

Reproduction

''Sinomicrurus swinhoei'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), a ...

and lays 4–14 eggs in summer.

Habitat and conservation

''Sinomicrurus sauteri'' is widespread in Taiwan and occurs below elevations of or

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as '' orthometric heights''. The ...

. It lives on montane forest floor, in stone cracks, and among leaf litter. It is

cathemeral Cathemerality, sometimes called metaturnality, is an organismal activity pattern of irregular intervals during the day or night in which food is acquired, socializing with other organisms occurs, and any other activities necessary for livelihood ar ...

. ''Sinomicrurus sauteri'' is a rare species that enjoys protected status in Taiwan.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q114408263, from2=Q108060560 swinhoei Snakes of Asia Reptiles of Taiwan Endemic fauna of Taiwan Taxa named by John Van Denburgh Reptiles described in 1922