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Calliophis bivirgatus
Basic stats
Venom
Venomous (dangerous — treat any bite as a medical emergency)
Diet
Other snakes, burrowing reptiles
Habitat
Leaf litter and soil
Range
Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia
Clutch size
3–8 eggs (typical for coral snakes)
Incubation period
About 60–70 days (typical for coral snakes)
Size
Medium (up to 1.8m)
Weight
~200–400g
One of the most strikingly coloured and most dangerously venomous snakes in Southeast Asia, with an iridescent blue-black body and a vivid red head and tail — bold warning colouration ('aposematism') advertising its potent neurotoxic venom.
Spends most of its time hidden in leaf litter and soil, emerging to hunt other snakes and burrowing reptiles, and is rarely seen. A bite is a genuine medical emergency — this species should never be approached or handled under any circumstances.
