3. Sea Snakes
Hydrophiids - ‘true’
sea snakes – 54 Natricids - salt marsh
species snakes – 3 species
Homalopsids -
mangrove snakes – 9
species
Acrochordids - file
Laticaudids - sea
snakes – 3 species
kraits – 5 species
4. Description
• Sea snakes are cold blooded reptiles and are
found primarily in warm tropical waters of the
Indo-West Pacific. They are not found in the
Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea .
• They are most active at night, swimming close
to the shore and at times they swim into tide
pools.
5. • The tail of sea snakes is shaped like q paddle
for better swimming abilities .
• There are 55 species of sea snakes , found in
the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans .
• Few species of sea snakes can survive on land
like Laticauda
• Feed on small fish or squid, which are killed
with powerful venom
6. • Sea snakes can be eaten by sharks, snapper,
grouper, crabs, saltwater crocodiles …
7. Length
• The average length of a banded sea snake is
about 75 centimeters, the maximum is 1.2
meters long .
8. Adaptation to life in the sea
• Its skin is impermeable to salts; salts
eliminated by sublingual gland .
• Developing a flattened paddle-shaped tail and
a laterally compressed body.
• increased tolerance for low oxygen levels .
• Lungs- greatly enlarged; hydrostatic organ
• Gaseous exchange - lungs and the skin.
9. Salt Removal
• Sea snakes are able to avoid excess salt accumulation from sea water using a salt
excreting gland, the posterior sublingual gland that sits under the tongue
Skin of sea snakes is very resistant to water, and does not let water in the snake
easily
One feature is that it does not resist water passage equally in both directions -
allows the water to move inward faster than outward, thus giving it an advantage
in the marine environment
10. Reproduction
• Like all snakes and lizards, male sea snakes have two penises
• Each is an autonomous independently functioning penis and
only one is used during mating
11. Birth
• All sea snakes except the latidcaudids give birth to live young
after gestation periods that range from four to eleven months
• Most species reproduce every year
• Timing of the reproductive cycle highly variable
12. Venom
• Sea snakes are very venomous; one sea snake
carries enough venom to kill three adult
humans.
• Its victims are usually fishermen who untangle
fishnets that the snake might get caught in.
