Medium to large tricolored coral snake, adults usually 65 to 85 cm long (max. 151 cm). Body reddish with 11-14 triads of black rings, tail short (with less than 2 full triads). Snout and chin white (usually with scales edged with black; and often with black spots), head with wide red band around middle. Dorsal junctions of red and black rings looks "jagged" because scale tend to be all red or all black. One pair of fixed, upper, front fangs.