Hemibungarus is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of venomous

Venomous snake

"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...

 elapid snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s known commonly as Asian coral snakes or oriental coral snakes.

Taxonomy

Sources vary greatly on the number of species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 within the genus, several species have been moved back and forth between Calliophis

Calliophis

Calliophis is a genus of venomous elapid snakes known commonly as oriental coral snakes or Asian coral snakes.Species in this genus are:* Calliophis beddomei M.A. Smith, 1943– Beddome's Coral Snake...

and Hemibungarus, without much evidence to explain the reclassification. Only recent mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...

 sequencing has begun to clarify their taxonomy

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...

. The DNA has also been used to establish the relationship between the Asiatic coral snake

Coral snake

The coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be subdivided into two distinct groups, Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes...

s and the North American coral snakes. Slowinski

Joseph Bruno Slowinski

Joseph Bruno "Joe" Slowinski, Ph.D was an American herpetologist who worked extensively with elapid snakes.He was born on November 15, 1962 in New York City, New York...

, 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

Bungarus

Bungarus, commonly referred to as kraits , is a genus of venomous elapid snakes found in South and South-East Asia. There are 12 species and 5 subspecies recognized.- Distribution :...

, though has a similar scientific name, is only distantly related.

Species

• Taiwanese Coral Snake, Hemibungarus hatori (Takahashi, 1930)
• Japanese Coral Snake, Hemibungarus japonicus (Günther
  Albert C. L. G. Günther
  Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist....
  
  , 1868)
• Taiwanese Coral Snake, Hemibungarus sauteri (Steindachner
  Franz Steindachner
  Franz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.- Work and career :Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
  
  , 1913)