| Hemibungarus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Subfamily: | Elapinae |
| Genus: | Hemibungarus Peters, 1862 |
Hemibungarus is a genus of venomous elapid snakes known commonly as Asian coral snakes or oriental coral snakes.
Contents |
Sources vary greatly on the number of species within the genus, several species have been moved back and forth between Calliophis and Hemibungarus, without much evidence to explain the reclassification. Only recent mitochondrial DNA sequencing has begun to clarify their taxonomy. The DNA has also been used to establish the relationship between the Asiatic coral snakes and the North American coral snakes. Slowinski, Boundy and Lawson gave the genus the name Sinomicrurus to show the closer relationship with the genus Micrurus, but the name is not generally accepted. The krait genus Bungarus, though has a similar scientific name, is only distantly related.
Hemibungarus species are found in Taiwan and Japan.