Australian coral snake
- noun
- /əˈstreɪljən ˈkɔrəl sneɪk/
- Australian
:
serpiente de coral australiana
- The Australian coral snake is easily recognized by its striking red, black, and white markings.
Examples
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While hiking in Queensland, we spotted an Australian coral snake slithering across the path.
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Despite being venomous, an Australian coral snake is considered harmless to humans.
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The vibrant colors of the Australian coral snake help to warn predators of its venom.
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The Australian coral snake is often mistaken for other species.
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Many people fear the Australian coral snake due to its venom.
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When visiting Australia, I learned that the Australian coral snake is often seen in coastal areas.
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We were excited to see an Australian coral snake in its natural habitat during our wildlife tour.
Synonyms
A small venomous Australian snake with black and white bands on a red body that is not dangerous to people
Surface Forms
Morphology
Australian + coral + snake
The phrase is a straightforward composition: 'Australian' specifies origin, 'coral' describes the snake's coral-like coloration, and 'snake' names the animal. This nationality + color + noun pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer it refers to a (coral-colored) snake from Australia.
Etymology
Australian coral snake likely gets its name from the word coral, because the snake's bright red, black and white bands look like pieces of coral. Those bright bands are a natural 'warning' that the snake is 'venomous', so the name helps explain this small Australian snake's striking, dangerous-looking colors.
