brilliantly marked "mimic" of the venomous Coral Snake with 18 to 25 broad red crossbands (include those on tail when counting). The red areas may cross the belly or may be encircled by black; in the latter case they are best described as black bordered red "saddles" extending downward well onto edges of the belly plates. Snout basically red, but usually mottled or speckled with black and white; rarely it may be as black as a Coral Snake's snout. Scales smooth and in 21 rows at midbody; anal single. Similar species: The warning colors , red and yellow, touch in the Coral Snake; in the Louisiana Milk Snake the black  seperates the other colors. Scarlet Snake has plain whitish belly. Scarlet King Snake has plain red snout and only 19 rows of scales at midbody.