What is Coral snake?
{{Automatic taxobox | name = Coral snake | image = coral snake.jpg | image_caption = Coral snake (''Micrurus'' sp.) |taxon = Elapidae |authority = }} [[File:Coral 009.jpg|thumb|230px|Eastern coral snake, ''[[Micrurus fulvius]]'' ]] [[File:Calliophis intestinalis 1916.jpg|thumb|230px|Colours of the Old World coral snakes can be quite a bit different from the American species. This is the blue Malaysian coral snake, ''Calliophis bivirgatus'']] The '''coral snakes''' are a large group of [[elapid]] [[snakes]]. There are two main groups of coral snakes. These groups are [[Old World]] coral snakes and [[New World]] coral snakes. *There are 11 [[species]] of Old World coral snake in one [[genus]] (''[[Calliophis]]'') *There are over 65 recognized species of New World coral snakes in three genera (''Leptomicrurus'', ''Micruroides'', and ''Micrurus''). Coral snakes have notable red, yellow/white, and black colored banding. Most species of coral snake are small. North American species average around {{convert|3|ft|cm}} in length, but specimens of up to {{convert|5|ft|cm}} or slightly larger have been reported. Coral snakes that live in water have flat tails. These tails act like a fin to help the snake swim. Like all elapid snakes, coral snakes have a pair of small fangs to deliver their [[venom]] (some coral snakes are rear fanged). These fangs, which are enlarged and hollow, deliver their venom to their prey species. Coral snakes mostly eat smaller [[snakes]], [[lizards]], [[frogs]], and nestling [[birds]] and [[rodents]], etc. The venom takes time to take full effect.<ref>{{cite web | title = Coral Snakes, coral snake, pictures | url = http://www.pestproducts.com/coral_snakes.htm | access-date = 24 November 2009 | archive-date = 29 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180929140555/http://www.pestproducts.com/coral_snakes.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref> Coral snakes often hold on to a victim when biting, unlike [[Viperidae|viper]]s. Vipers have retractable fangs and tend to prefer to str