Parapistocalamus is a genus of venomous snake in the family Elapidae.
Species The genus Parapistocalamus contains the sole species Parapistocalamus hedigeri, commonly known as Hediger's coral snake.
Etymology The specific name, hedigeri, is in honor of Swiss biologist Heini Hediger.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Parapistocalamus hedigeri, p. 119).
Geographic range P. hedigeri is found in Papua New Guinea.
Description P. hedigeri is a small slender snake. The average total length (including tail) is , and the maximum recorded total length is . The head is only slightly wider than the neck. The eye is small, and the pupil is round. The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 15 rows at midbody. Dorsally, it is uniform brown, and ventrally it is yellowish. It may have a lighter collar.O'Shea, Mark (1996). A Guide to the Snakes of Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby: Independent Publishing. xii + 239 pp. . (Parapistocalamus hedigeri, pp. 146-147 + Map 22).
Habitat The preferred habitat of P. hedigeri is forest.
Behavior P. hedigeri is crepuscular or nocturnal. It burrows in leaf litter and rotten logs.
Reproduction P. hedigeri is probably oviparous.
References
Further reading Roux J (1934). "Contribution à la connaissance de la faune erpétologique des îles Salomon ". Verhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Basel 45: 77–81. (Parapistocalamus hedigeri, new genus and species). (in French).