Sea snake
Yellow-bellied sea snake, Pelamis platurus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Elapidae Boie, 1827

For sea snakes in mythology and cryptozoology, see Sea serpent. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Squamata (scaled reptiles is the largest recent order of Reptiles including Lizards and Snakes Members of the order are distinguished by A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. The Elapidae, or elapids are a Family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world including the Indian Ocean and Friedrich Boie ( 4 June 1789 &ndash 3 March 1870) was a German scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. This article is about sea serpents in mythology and cryptozoology

Sea snakes, or "seasnakes", are venomous elapid snakes that inhabit marine environments for most or all of their lives. A venomous snake is a Snake that uses modified saliva venom, usually delivered through highly specialized teeth such as hollow fangs for the purpose of Prey The Elapidae, or elapids are a Family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world including the Indian Ocean and A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Though they evolved from terrestrial ancestors, and some such as Laticauda sp. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales retain ancestral characteristics which allow limited movement on land, most are extensively adapted to a fully aquatic life and are unable to even move on land. They are found in warm coastal waters from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions All have paddle-like tails and many have laterally compressed bodies that give them an eel-like appearance. However, unlike fish, they do not have gills and must come to the surface regularly to breathe. Nevertheless, they are among the most completely aquatic of all air-breathing vertebrates. ^[1] Among this group are species with some of the most potent venoms of all snakes. Some have gentle dispositions and bite only when provoked, while others are much more aggressive. Currently, 17 genera are described as sea snakes, comprising 62 species. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. ^[2][3]

Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Behavior 4 Feeding 5 Reproduction 6 Venom 7 Taxonomy 8 Captivity 9 Conservation status 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links

Description

Adults of most species grow to between 120-150 cm (4-5 ft) in length,^[4] with the largest, Hydrophis spiralis, reaching a maximum of 3 m (10 ft). Yellow Sea Snake Hydrophis spiralis is a species of Sea snake. ^[5] Their eyes are relatively small with a round pupil^[6] and most have nostrils that are located dorsally. ^[7] The skulls do not differ significantly from other terrestrial elapids, although the dentition is relatively primitive with short fangs and (with the exception of Emydocephalus) as many as 18 smaller teeth behind them on the maxilla. ^[1]

Most sea snakes are completely aquatic and have adapted to their environment in many ways, the most characteristic of which is a paddle-like tail that has increased their swimming ability. ^[8] To a varying degree, the bodies of many species are laterally compressed, especially in the pelagic species. Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. This has often caused the ventral scales to become reduced in size, even difficult to distinguish from the adjoining scales. In Snakes, the ventral scales, or gastrosteges are the enlarged scales that extend down the underside of the body from the head to the anal plate Their lack of ventral scales means that they have become virtually helpless on land, but since they live out their entire life cycle at sea, they never have any need to come out of the water. ^[4][7]

The only species that have retained their enlarged ventral scales are the sea kraits, represented by the genus Laticauda, with only five species. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales This is considered to be a more primitive group, as they still spend much of their time on land where their ventral scales afford them the necessary grip. ^[4][7] They are also the only sea snakes with internasal scales, i. In Snakes, the internasal scales are those on top of the head between the scales that surround the nostrils e. their nostrils are not located dorsally. ^[8]

As it is easier for a snake's tongue to fulfill its olfactory function under water, its action is short compared to that of terrestrial snake species. Only the forked tips protrude from the mouth through a divided notch in the middle of the rostral scale. Echis-carinatus-sochureki-rostraljpg|right|thumb|240px|The rostral scale ^[1] The nostrils have valves that consist of a specialized spongy tissue to keep water out, and the windpipe can be drawn up to where the short nasal passage opens into the roof of the mouth: an important adaptation for an animal that must still come to the surface to breathe air, but may have its head partially submerged when doing so. The lung has become very large and extends almost the entire length of the body, although it seems likely that the rear portion developed to aid buoyancy, rather than to exchange gas. The extended lung may also serve as a means of storing air for dives. ^[4][7]

Sea snakes in general are able to respire through their skin. This is unusual for reptiles, because their skin is thick and scaly, but experiments with Pelamis have shown that this species can satisfy about 20% of its oxygen requirements in this manner, which allows for prolonged dives. ^[9]

Like other land animals that have adapted to life in a marine environment, sea snakes ingest considerably more salt than their terrestrial relatives, through their diet and when sea water is inadvertently swallowed. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales This meant that they had to evolve a more effective means of regulating the salt concentration of their blood. Mammals have the advantage of being able to pass salt in solution, mostly in the urine, but kidney function in birds and reptiles is too weak to remove salt in sufficient amounts. The kidneys are complicated organs that have numerous biological roles In birds, such as penguins, salt is removed through nasal glands, just as with the marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands. Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless Birds living almost The Marine Iguana ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is an Iguana found only on the Galapagos Islands that has the ability unique among modern Lizards Sea turtles have lacrimal glands that allow them to produce very salty tears. The lacrimal glands are paired almond-shaped Glands, one for each eye that secrete the aqueous layer of the tear film But in sea snakes, the posterior sublingual glands, located under and around the tongue sheath, evolved to allow them to expel salt with their tongue action. ^[1][7]

Scalation among sea snakes is highly variable. As opposed to terrestrial snakes, species that have imbricate scales to protect against abrasion, the scales of most pelagic sea snakes do not overlap. Reef dwelling species, such as Aypisurus, do have imbricate scales to protect against the sharp coral. The scales themselves may be smooth, keeled, spiny or granular, the latter often looking like warts. Keeled scales refer to Reptile scales that rather than being smooth have a ridge down the center that may or may not extend to the tip of the scale making them rough to the The black-and-yellow sea snake, Pelamis platurus, a pelagic species, has body scales that are "peg-like", while those on its tail are juxtaposed hexagonal plates. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. ^[7]

Aipysurus laevis has been found to have photoreceptors in the skin of its tail, allowing it to detect light and presumably aiding it in remaining hidden inside of coral holes during the day. Common names olive sea snake golden sea snake Aipysurus laevis is a venomous Sea snake Species While other species have not been tested, it is possible that A. laevis is not unique among sea snakes in this respect. ^[10]

Distribution and habitat

These snakes are mostly confined to the warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, ^[4] with a few species found well out into Oceania. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions ^[11] However, the geographic range of one species, Pelamis platurus, is wider than that of any other reptile species, save for a few species of sea turtles. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around ^[1] It extends from the east coast of Africa, from Djibouti in the north to Cape Town in the south,^[12] across the Indian Ocean, the Pacific, south as far as New Zealand,^[11] all the way to the western coast of the Americas, where it occurs from northern Peru in the south (including the Galápagos Islands) to the Gulf of California in the north. Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Cape Town (Kaapstad Xhosa: Ikapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. " Sea of Cortez " redirects here For the book by John Steinbeck, see The Log from the Sea of Cortez. ^[9] One source claims that Pelamis occurs as far north as Orange County, California in the United States. Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[13]

Sea snakes do not occur in the Atlantic Ocean, although Pelamis would doubtless be found there were it not for the cold currents off Namibia and western South America that keep them from crossing into the eastern South Atlantic, or south of 5° latitude along the South American west coast. Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Sea snakes do not occur in the Red Sea, possibly because of its increased salinity, so there is no danger of them crossing through the Suez Canal, and it is possibly also due to salinity, or rather a lack thereof, that Pelamis has not managed to cross into the Caribbean via the Panama Canal. The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Panama Canal is a man-made Canal in Panama which joins the ^[1] On the other hand, it has been speculated that Pelamis will enter the Atlantic if global warming eventually causes the aforementioned cold currents to become warm enough. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the ^[14]

Despite their marine adaptations, most species prefer shallow waters not far from land, around islands, especially waters that are somewhat sheltered, as well as near estuaries. ^[4][8] They may swim up rivers and have been reported as much as 160 km from the sea. ^[8] Others, such as Pelamis platurus, are pelagic and are found in drift lines; slicks of floating debris brought together by surface currents. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. ^[14] Some species inhabit mangrove swamps and similar brackish water habitats and there are even two landlocked fresh water forms: Hydrophis semperi occurs in Lake Taal in the Philippines, and Laticauda crockeri in Lake Te Nggano on Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands. Hydrophis semperi, known in some circles as Garman's sea snake, is a rare Sea snake found only in a single lake on the island of Luzon in Taal Lake is a Freshwater lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon, Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP UserPolbot. -->The Crocker's Sea Snake ( Laticauda crockeri) is a species of Snake in the Hydrophiidae The local name for Rennell Island is Mungava and is the main island of two inhabited islands that make up the Rennell and Bellona Province in the Solomon Islands The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands ^[7]

Behavior

Much has been said regarding their temperament. Stidworthy (1974) describes all sea snake species as being reluctant to bite. ^[4] The U. S. Navy describes them as generally mild tempered, although there is variation among species and individuals. ^[11] Mehrtens (1987) suggests that species such as Pelamis platurus, that feed by simply gulping down their prey, are more likely to bite when provoked because they seem to use their venom more for defense. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around This is in contrast to others, such as Laticauda, that use their venom for prey immobilization; these snakes are frequently handled with impunity by local fisherman. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales ^[7] Species that have been reported as much more aggressive include Aipysurus laevis, Astrotia stokesii, Enhydrina schistosa and Hydrophis ornatus. Common names olive sea snake golden sea snake Aipysurus laevis is a venomous Sea snake Species Stoke's seasnake Astrotia stokesii is a species of sea snake. Beaked seasnake ( Enhydrina schistosa, also known as the hook-nosed sea snake, the common sea snake, and the Valakadyn sea snake) is a species Ornate Reef seasnake Hydrophis ornatus is a species of sea snake. ^[8]

Ditmars (1933) mentions that when they are taken out of the water, their movements become very erratic. They crawl awkwardly in these situations and can become quite aggressive, striking wildly at anything that moves. ^[6] Yet, they are also frequently caught in nets by fishermen who unravel and throw them back barehanded, usually suffering no harm. ^[4] On land, sea snakes are not able to coil and strike like terrestrial snakes. ^[5]

It seems they are active both during the day and at night. In the morning, and sometimes late in the afternoon, they can be seen at the surface basking in the sunlight. When disturbed, they dive down below. ^[4] Sea snakes have been reported swimming at depths of over 90 m (295 ft). ^[5] They can remain submerged for as much as a few hours, possibly depending on temperature and degree of activity. ^[11]

Huge aggregations of sea snakes are occasionally reported. In 1932, millions of Astrotia stokesii, a relative of Pelamis, were seen from a steamer in the Strait of Malacca, off the coast of Malaysia, and formed a line of snakes 3 m (10 ft) wide and 100 km (62 mi) long. Stoke's seasnake Astrotia stokesii is a species of sea snake. The Strait of Malacca is a narrow 805 km (500 mile stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and ^[14] The cause of this phenomenon is unknown, although it likely has something to do with reproduction. ^[1] Ditmars (1933) mentions that, in that same area, sea snakes can sometimes be seen swimming in schools of several dozen, and that after typhoons many dead specimens can be found on the beaches. ^[6]

Feeding

Most species prey on fish, especially eels. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two ^[8] The latter, when bitten, stiffen and die within seconds. ^[4] One species prefers molluscs and crustaceans,^[8][7] such as prawns,^[11] while a few others feed only on fish eggs, which is unusual for a venomous snake. Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 Structure of crustaceans As Arthropods crustaceans have a stiff Exoskeleton, which must be shed to allow the animal to grow ( Ecdysis or molting Prawns are Crustaceans belonging to the sub-order Dendrobranchiata   Some reef dwelling species have small heads and thin necks, making it possible for them to extract small eels from the soft bottom that they hide in. ^[7] Stidworthy (1974) states that sea snakes will sometimes take bait from a fishing line. ^[4]

Reproduction

Except for a single genus, all sea snakes are ovoviviparous; the young are born alive in the water where they live out their entire life cycle. Ovoviviparous Animals develop within eggs that remain within the mother's body up until they hatch or are about to hatch ^[7] In some species, the young are quite large: up to half as long as the mother. ^[5] The one exception is the genus Laticauda, which is oviparous; its five species all lay their eggs on land. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales Oviparous animals are animals that lay eggs, with little or no other Embryonic development within the mother ^[7]

Venom

Like their cousins in the Elapidae family, the majority of sea snakes are highly venomous. However, when bites occur it is rare for much venom to be injected, so that envenomation symptoms usually seem non-existent or trivial. ^[8] For example, Pelamis platurus has more potent venom than any other terrestrial snake species in Costa Rica, but despite being abundant in the waters off its western coast, few human fatalities have been reported. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica,) is a Country in ^[9] Nevertheless, all sea snakes should be handled with great caution. ^[8]

Bites in which envenomation does occur are usually painless and may not even be noticed when contact is made. Teeth may be left in the wound. There is usually little or no swelling involved and it is rare for any nearby lymph nodes to be affected. A Lymph node ( lɪmf noʊd is an organ consisting of many types of cells and is a part of the Lymphatic system. The most important symptoms are Rhabdomyolysis (rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) and paralysis. Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown ( Lysis) of Skeletal muscle tissue ( rhabdomyo) due to injury to muscle tissue Early symptoms include headache, a thick-feeling tongue, thirst, sweating and vomiting. Symptoms that can occur after 30 minutes to several hours post bite include generalized aching, stiffness and tenderness of muscles all over the body. Passive stretching of the muscles is also painful, and trismus, which is similar to tetanus, is common. Trismus, also known as lockjaw, is the inability to normally open the mouth due to one of many causes Tetanus is a medical condition that is characterized by a prolonged contraction of Skeletal muscle fibres This is followed later on by symptoms typical of other elapid envenomations: a progressive flaccid paralysis, starting with ptosis and paralysis of voluntary muscles. The Elapidae, or elapids are a Family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world including the Indian Ocean and Ptosis is an abnormally low position (drooping of the upper Eyelid. Paralysis of muscles involved in swallowing and respiration can be fatal. 3-8 hours post bite, myoglobin as a result of muscle breakdown may start to show up in the blood plasma, can cause the urine to turn a dark reddish, brown or black color, and eventually lead to acute renal failure. Myoglobin is a single-chain globular Protein of 153 Amino acids containing a Heme ( Iron -containing Porphyrin) Prosthetic Acute renal failure ( ARF) also known as acute kidney failure or acute kidney injury, is a rapid loss of Renal function due to damage to the 6-12 hours post bite, severe hyperkalemia, also the result of muscle breakdown, can lead to cardiac arrest. Hyperkalemia ( AE) or Hyperkalaemia ( BE) is an elevated blood level of the Electrolyte Potassium. A cardiac arrest, also known as cardiorespiratory arrest, cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest, is the abrupt cessation of normal circulation of ^[15]

Taxonomy

Sea snakes were at first regarded as a unified and separate family, the Hydrophiidae, that later came to comprise subfamilies: the Hydrophiinae, or true/aquatic sea snakes (now 16 genera with 57 species), and the more primitive Laticaudinae, or sea kraits (1 genus, Laticauda, with 5 species). Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales Eventually, as it became clear just how closely related the sea snakes are to the elapids, the taxonomic situation became less well-defined. Some taxonomists responded by moving the sea snakes to the Elapidae, thereby creating the subfamilies Elapinae, Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae, although the latter may be omitted if Laticauda is included in the Hydrophiinae. Unfortunately, no one has yet been able to convincingly work out the phylogenetic relationships between the various elapid subgroups, meaning that the situation is still unclear. Therefore, others opted to either continue to work with the older traditional arrangements, if only for practical reasons, or to lump all of the genera together in the Elapidae, with no taxonomic subdivisions, to reflect the work that remains to be done. ^[6][7][3][2]

Genus[2][3]	Authority[2]	Species[2]	Subsp. *[2]	Common name[3]	Geographic range[3]
Acalyptophis	Boulenger, 1869	1	0	Spiny-headed seasnake	Gulf of Thailand, South China sea, the Strait of Taiwan, and the coasts of Guangdong, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)
Aipysurus	Lacépède, 1804	7	1	Olive sea snakes	Timor Sea, South China Sea, Gulf of Thailand, and coasts of Australia (North Territory, Queensland, West Australia), New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, southern New Guinea, Indonesia, western Malaysia and Vietnam. George Albert Boulenger (born Brussels, Belgium, October 19, 1858; died Saint Malo, France, November 23 The Gulf of Thailand (or Gulf of Siam) is a gulf that borders but is not part of the South China Sea ( Pacific Ocean) The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide (11185-mile-wide Strait between Mainland China and Taiwan. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known For the former North American fur-trading district see New Caledonia (Canada, and for the Scottish colony in Panama see Darien scheme. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Common names (none Aipysurus is a Genus of venomous Sea snakes found in warm seas from the Bernard-Germain-Étienne de La Ville-sur-Illon comte de Lacépède or La Cépède ( December 26, 1756 &ndash October 6, 1825) was The Timor Sea (Laut Timor Portuguese: Mar Timor) is a sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially
Astrotia	Fischer, 1855	1	0	Stoke's sea snake	Coastal areas from west India and Sri Lanka through Gulf of Thailand to China Sea, west Malaysia, Indonesia east to New Guinea, north and east coasts of Australia, Philippines
Emydocephalus	Krefft, 1869	2	0	Turtlehead sea snakes	The coasts of Timor (Indonesian sea), New Caledonia, Australia (North Territory, Queensland, West Australia), and in the Southeast Asian Sea along the coasts of China, Taiwan, Japan, and the Ryukyu Island. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP
Enhydrina	Gray, 1849	2	0	Beaked sea snakes	In the Persian Gulf (Oman, United Arab Emirates, etc. ), south to the Seychelles and Madagascar, SE Asian Sea (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam), Australia (North Territory, Queensland), New Guinea and Papua New Guinea.
Ephalophis	M.A. Smith, 1931	1	0	Grey's mudsnake	North-western Australia
Hydrelaps	Boulenger, 1896	1	0	Port Darwin mudsnake	Northern Australia, southern New Guinea
Hydrophis	Latreille In Sonnini & Latreille, 1801	34	3	Sea snakes	Indoaustralian and Southeast Asian waters. Malcolm Arthur Smith (1875 New Malden, Surrey - 1958 Ascot) was a Herpetologist and Physician working in the Malay Peninsula Hydrophis is a Genus of Sea snakes They are typically found in Indoaustralian and Southeast Asian waters Pierre André Latreille ( November 20, 1762 - February 6, 1833) was a French entomologist. Charles-Nicolas-Sigisbert Sonnini de Manoncourt ( February 1 1751 - May 9 1812 in Paris) was a French naturalist [16]
Kerilia	Gray, 1849	1	0	Jerdon's sea snake	Southeast Asian waters. [16]
Kolpophis	M. Kolpophis is a genus of Sea snakes of the family Hydrophiidae. A. Smith, 1926	1	0	Bighead sea snake	Indian Ocean. [16]
Lapemis	Gray, 1835	1	1	Shaw's sea snake	Persian Gulf to Indian Ocean, South China Sea, Indo-Australian archipelago and the western Pacific. [16]
Laticauda	Laurenti, 1768	5	0	Sea kraits	Southeast Asian and Indoaustralian waters. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti ( December 4, 1735 - February 17, 1805) was an Austrian naturalist.
Parahydrophis	Burger & Natsuno, 1974	1	0	Northern mangrove sea snake	Northern Australia, southern New Guinea
Parapistocalamus	Roux, 1934	1	0	Hediger's snake	Bougainville Island, Solomons
Pelamis	Daudin, 1803	1	0	Yellow-bellied sea snake	Indian and Pacific Oceans
Praescutata	Wall, 1921	1	0		From the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, the South Chinese Sea, and northeast to the coastal region of Fujian and Strait of Taiwan. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around
Thalassophis	P. Schmidt, 1852	1	0	Anomalous sea snake	South Chinese Sea (Malaysia, Gulf of Thailand), Indian Ocean (Sumatra, Java, Borneo)

* Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).

Captivity

At best, these snakes make difficult captives. Annulated Sea Snake Hydrophis cyanocinctus (also called the blue-banded sea snake) is a species of sea snake. Ditmars (1933) described them as nervous and delicate captives that usually refuse to eat while preferring only to hide in the darkest corner of the tank. ^[6] Over fifty years later, Mehrtens (1987) wrote that while they were rarely displayed in western zoological parks, some species were regularly on display in Japanese aquariums. Available food supply is one factor that limits the number of species that can be kept in captivity, since some have diets that are too specialized. Another is that some species appear too intolerant to handling, or even being removed from the water. For any exhibit, the fish-eating species are the most logical choice. Regarding their facilities, the Laticauda species need to be able to exit the water somewhere and bask, while the other strictly aquatic genera do not, basically requiring only a tank of filtered (synthetic) sea water maintained at about 29°C, along with a submerged shelter. Laticauda is a genus of snakes from the family Hydrophiidae. The laticauda is the least adapted to sea life of all the members of Hydrophiidae it retains the wide ventral scales Species that have done relatively well in captivity include the ringed sea snake, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, which feed on fish and eels in particular. Annulated Sea Snake Hydrophis cyanocinctus (also called the blue-banded sea snake) is a species of sea snake. Pelamis platurus has done especially well in captivity, accepting small fish, including goldfish. Yellowbelly Sea Snake or Pelagic Sea Snake ( Pelamis platurus) is a Species of sea snake found in Tropical oceanic waters around The goldfish, Carassius auratus, was one of the earliest Fish to be domesticated, and is still one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish and However, care should be taken to house them in round or oval tanks, or in rectangular tanks with corners that are well-rounded, to prevent the snakes from damaging their snouts by swimming into the sides. ^[7]

Conservation status

Sea snakes are exploited for their meat, skin and internal organs, but despite great numbers being killed every year, CITES does not afford them any protection. CITES (the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments drafted ^[8][17] Only one species, Laticauda crockeri, is classified as vulnerable (VU) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. UserPolbot. -->The Crocker's Sea Snake ( Laticauda crockeri) is a species of Snake in the Hydrophiidae ^[18]

See also

• List of marine reptiles
• Snakebite
• Sea serpent

References

Further reading

External links

• Sea Snakes at Scubadoc's Diving Medicine Online. Accessed 6 August 2007. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

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