A Phylogenetic Analysis of the New World Coral Snakes (Elapidae: Leptomicrurus, Micruroides, and Micrurus) Based on Allozymic and Morphological Characters

The phylogenetic relationships of 18 species of New World coral snakes (Elapidae: Leptomi- crurus, Micruroides, and Micrurus) were examined with morphological and allozymic characters analyzed by parsimony. Two species of kraits (Elapidae: Bungarus) were included as outgroups. Coral snake mor- phology was found to be very conservative and few informative morphological characters were found. The general relationships of all coral snakes are discussed in light of the morphological synapomorphies identified in this study. The results indicate that Micrurus is paraphyletic because of the exclusion of Leptomicrurus. This is rectified by placing Leptomicrurus into the synonymy of Micrurus. The New World coral snakes are a large group of small to moderate-sized, dangerously ven- omous snakes in the family Elapidae. The 61 species currently recognized are divided among three genera: Micrurus (57 species), Leptomicru- rus (three species), and Micruroides (one species). Micrurus is found in a wide range of terrestrial habitats throughout its range from the south- eastern United States to southern South Amer- ica. Leptomicrurus is found in tropical lowland moist and wet forests in Amazonia. The mono- typic Micruroides is found in the Sonoran Desert of the southwestern United States and adjacent northwestern Mexico. Although various Old World elapids (e.g., Calliophis, Maticora, Aspi- delaps) are often termed "coral snakes," the term is restricted herein to New World elapids.