Filmed this adult Malayan Blue Coral Snake September 2020 in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Singapore. It was approximately 1.2 meters in length. It is a beautiful but highly venomous species and no antivenom currently exists to treat bites.

Calliophis bivirgatus is a species of snake in the family Elapidae known commonly as the blue coral snake[ or blue Malayan coral snake. It is native to Southeast Asia.

This terrestrial snake occurs in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Burma. It lives at 100 to 1100 meters in elevation.

There are three subspecies: C. b. bivirgatus – Indonesia, C. b. flaviceps – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Burma, C. b. tetrataenia – Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei.

This species was assigned to the new world coral snake genus Maticora until phylogenetic studies revealed this species to be nested within the tropical coral snake species clade Calliophis and sister species to Calliophis intestinalis, the banded Malaysian coral snake.

This is a medium-sized coral snake with a slender body. The adult can reach 1.8 meters long. It has a red head, tail and belly. The back is dark blue to black in color, and it usually has a large blue or white stripe on each flank.

The snake, especially when juvenile, is often confused with the pink-headed reed snake (Calamaria schlegeli) as they share similar habitat and appearance. But the latter is much smaller, reaching a maximum length of 50 cm (20 in). The reed snake is nonvenomous, while the coral snake is potentially lethal. They also are very similar to another venomous snake, the red-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps).

This uncommon snake is considered semi-fossorial and is found in the leaf litter of primary and secondary forests. It preys on other snakes. When threatened it usually flees, but it may remain in place with its red tail erect as a defensive message.

The potent venom has occasionally caused human deaths. This species has unusually long venom glands, extending to 25% of the length of the body.

Unlike other snakes of the family Elapidae, its venom does not contain a neurotoxin.The toxic element is a cytotoxin that leads to the destruction of muscle tissue and is primarily a sodium channel blocker. Phosphodiesterases promote the release of adenosine, which causes hypotension, inflammation, and neurotransmitter blockade in prey items and other bite victims.

As they frequently feed on other venomous snakes, the venom has evolved to be extremely fast acting causing rapid convulsion and paralysis, and has more characteristics in common with scorpion venom. No antidote currently exists, and research is being conducted on the venom as potential alternative analgesics.

However, in actual fact, this species is relatively non-aggressive. When threatened, it usually tucks its head under leaves or under its coil of body and raises its tail to reveal the bright red ventral surface. The bright red colour of the tail is also thought to make it difficult for predators to distinguish the head from the tail

This species possess rigid hollow fangs in the anterior part of the upper jaw. This is a defining characteristic of all snakes in the family Elapidae.

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Playlist:
Carbon Based Lifeforms - World of Sleepers

Videography:
Christian Bassett
Camera:
Sony 4K FDR-AX 700 Camcorder

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