Description ²

INTRODUCTION

• Highly Venomous Elapid
• Other names : Beaked sea snake, Hook nosed sea snake
• Bites are extremely rare and are rather docile.
• Known for highly potent venom just like other sea snakes.
• Sea snakes have specialized glands to remove excess salt.

IDENTIFICATION

• Like all other sea snakes: Laterally compressed body, Paddle like tail, Sluggish and Heavy Bodied.
• Have bands across it's body and a beak shaped snout.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

• Completely aquatic and helpless on land.
• Need warm waters to survive.
• Found along coasts of the Indian Ocean, few may be found in the open ocean.
• Sea Kraits are not "True" sea snakes and can efficiently crawl on land.

DIET AND BEHAVIOR

• Feeds on fish and fish eggs.
• Non-offensive but still considered the most aggresive sea snake.
• Both diurnal and nocturnal.

Other Sea Snakes ²

18 other species of sea snakes (Hydrophis) are found along the Indian coast.
The most common ones are :

• Annulated Sea Snake (Hydrophis cyanocintus)
• Shaw's Sea Snake (Hydrophis curtus)
• Malacca Sea Snake (Hydrophis caerulescens)

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Vinay Gogula, all rights reserved, uploaded by Vinay Gogula
2. (c) Vinay Gogula, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HerpMapper
• Snake Database
• The Reptile Database
• VertNet

iNat Map