Elapidae · Philippine record
Calliophis salitanBROWN, SMART, LEVITON & SMITH 2018
Length: Adult male PNM 9844: 85.6 cm snout–vent length and 14.1 cm tail. One specimen, not a species-wide maximum.
pp. 95–97; Table 3
Venom: Venomous Philippine coralsnake. Species-specific clinical effects require separate assessment.
p. 89, Introduction; C. salitan venom apparatus, pp. 96–97
Venom effects and medical significance are different from toxicity rankings. Do not handle a snake on the basis of this summary.
The described animal has a black head, nine broad dark body bands against a pale background, and an orange tail without bands. These characters describe the original specimen, not a measured range of variation. Its atlas account links 2 named island or island-group records to the source literature.
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Explore the island records ↓Species portrait
Calliophis salitan
Image to followThe illustrated collection
Adult · study plate
Calliophis salitan
Image to followJuvenile · study plate
Calliophis salitan
Image to followLife stages will be labelled from the contributor’s information. Images alone do not establish identification or a locality record.
Media provenance
Contributor images are forthcoming. Photographs and illustrations will retain their individual credits, permissions and evidence notes.
A closer look
The described animal has a black head, nine broad dark body bands against a pale background, and an orange tail without bands. These characters describe the original specimen, not a measured range of variation.
Literature documented · Diagnosis: holotype
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
The database reports the species only from its type locality. Sparse records leave its wider distribution and life history unresolved.
Literature documented · Comment: known locality
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
The atlas records Calliophis salitan from these named Philippine areas: Mindanao, Dinagat. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
Literature documented · Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
The original evidence level is retained.
A country listing cannot establish an island or a precise locality.
Calliophis salitan is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Elapidae. The authority is BROWN, SMART, LEVITON & SMITH 2018. Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
Literature documented · Checklist identity and nomenclatural trail
Checklist verified 2026-09-05; not a newly revised taxonomic backbone.
Historical names can cover different biological concepts; synonyms should not be used to transfer records automatically.
Across the archipelago
Documented islands: gold · island groups: dashed circles
Island-level records · not continuous habitat coverage. Dashed circles locate groups, not individual observations.
Philippine distribution
Select an island to read its distribution record and sources. Uncoloured islands are not evidence of absence.
Philippine Islands (Dinagat Island) Type locality: Mt. Cambinlia, sitio Cambinlia (Sudlon), Barangay Santiago, Municipality Loreto, Dinagat Islands Province, Dinagat Island, Mindanao PAIC, Philippines, 195 m elevation (10.3436833° N, 125.6181167°E)
The atlas records Calliophis salitan from these named Philippine areas: Mindanao, Dinagat. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines: A Synthesis of Data from Biodiversity Repositories, Field Studies, and the Literature ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
References attached to this species account. Island-specific evidence is shown separately where available.
Living with wildlife
Venomous · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
WHO guidance on snakebite first aidSpecies record
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Philippine Islands (Dinagat Island) Type locality: Mt. Cambinlia, sitio Cambinlia (Sudlon), Barangay Santiago, Municipality Loreto, Dinagat Islands Province, Dinagat Island, Mindanao PAIC, Philippines, 195 m elevation (10.3436833° N, 125.6181167°E)
Names through time
Calliophis salitan BROWN, SMART, LEVITON & SMITH 2018 Maticora salitan — WALLACH 2025
Rare. Only known from the type locality.
Uetz, P.; Freed, P.; Aguilar, R.; Reyes, F.; Kudera, J.; Hošek, J. (eds.)
Leviton, A. E.; Siler, C. D.; Weinell, J. L.; Brown, R. M.
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64(14): 399–568
Brown, R. M.; Smart, U.; Leviton, A. E.; Smith, E. N.
Herpetologica 74(1): 89–104
Table 3 gives total-length maxima of examined series; C. salitan venom apparatus described on pp. 96–97.
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.