Many of us know people who are terrified of snakes, either because of the animal's strange appearance, or because of the dangerous venom that many have. Among the venomous snakes, that is, the ones that inject venom, are the true corals, which are known to have an extremely strong venom.
THE coral snake stands out for its very characteristic coloring, formed by rings black, red, white and yellow. We call this coloring aposematic or warning coloring, as it indicates danger and usually appears in poisonous animals. This color pattern is often copied by a species known as false coral, a non-venomous group that, by copying the color of the true coral, hopes to scare away predators.
The color pattern of coral snakes is used, according to popular belief, to differentiate between "false corals” of the “true corals”. However, this analysis is not correct, as what differentiates the species is not the color pattern, but the dentition. It is noteworthy that some snakes may have anomalies that change the color pattern. There are individuals, for example, completely red, which, in the view of an ordinary person, would be of another kind of snake.Therefore, we can conclude that only an expert is able to differentiate species with just a quick observation.
Another point worth mentioning is that many people believe that false coral does not contain poison. This is a big mistake. What happens is that, in these species, the teeth responsible for inoculate the poison are located at the back of the mouth, making it difficult for the substance to be inoculated at the time of the bite. In true corals, the teeth are at the front and, therefore, the inoculation of the venom occurs more easily.
The coral above is a kind of false coral
At coral snakes cause serious accidents. Thus, those who are bitten need immediate medical help. However, it is worth noting that, like most animals, these snakes do not attack if they do not feel threatened. Therefore, it is essential to always be aware when walking in green areas and never put your hand under logs, rocks and other environments that can be hiding places for snakes.
If you are bitten by a snake, regardless of the species, it is essential not to try to suck the wound and not to use tourniquets. The ideal is to seek the doctor immediately for the application of the call. Snake antivenom, whose main function is to reduce the action of the poison.
ATTENTION:Coral snake venom causes serious damage to the nervous system and heart. After the bite, the patient usually has difficulty opening the eyes, the vision is double and suffocation occurs.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
