The eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) is a slender, brightly patterned venomous snake found in the southeastern United States, marked with alternating bands of red, yellow, and black.
Small fangs, big reputation
Unlike vipers, which have long, hinged fangs, coral snakes have relatively small, fixed fangs at the front of the mouth. They spend much of their time hidden under leaf litter, soil, and debris, and aren't commonly encountered even within their range.
Don't trust the rhyme
There's a well-known rhyme in the US about red and yellow band order being used to tell a coral snake apart from harmless mimics like the scarlet kingsnake. The trouble is, this rhyme only loosely applies to certain coral snakes in parts of North America — it doesn't hold up reliably across all regions or species, and coral snakes elsewhere in the Americas can have completely different color patterns. It's not a rule worth betting on.
Range: Southeastern United States · Length: Usually 50–80 cm · Diet: Small snakes and lizards · Venom: Neurotoxic · Habitat: Pine flatwoods, scrub, and areas with dense ground cover