coral snake Poisonous burrowing snake of the Americas and se Asia. It is shy and docile, but has fatal venom. Most species are brightly coloured, ringed with red, yellow, and black. It feeds on lizards, frogs, and other snakes. Family Elapidae.

cor·al snake • n. a brightly colored venomous snake (Micrurus and other genera) of the cobra family, typically having conspicuous bands of red, yellow, white, and black.