A snake of moderate size, with a thin, moderately robust, and cylindrical body, with a large to medium-sized head well differentiated from the neck. Its coloration pattern has three colors: red, black, and white or yellow; it also has a black cephalic-cap.

Terrestrial habits and active mainly at night time. An uncommon snake that can be found from Costa Rica to the west of Colombia. In Costa Rica it is found in tropical rainforests of the south Pacific, from sea level to 400 m of altitude. It looks similar to most species of this genus, but it can also be confused with coral imitator species of the Colubridae family.