CLASSIFICATION
Kijngdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Subfamily: Hydrophiidae
Genus: Laticauda
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Subfamily: Hydrophiidae
Genus: Laticauda
COMMON NAME.sea snakes
MORPHOLOGY
Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like allsquamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with many more joints than their lizard ancestors, enabling them to swallow prey much larger than their heads with their highly mobile jaws. To accommodate their narrow bodies, snakes' paired organs (such as kidneys) appear one in front of the other instead of side by side, and most have only one functional lung. Some species retain a pelvic girdle with a pair of vestigial claws on either side of the cloaca. SUMMARY, ( BILATERAL )
BIOLOGY
There are several features of the serpentine form that have allowed sea snakes to adapt more readily to the marine environment than other reptiles. Marine adaptations include swimming, respiration, salt excretion, and marine fouling & skin shedding.
Snakes elongate bodies are preadapted for efficient swimming, and most sea snake species have developed a paddle shaped tail that further enhances their locomotory ability in water.
Sea snakes are air breathing reptiles and must come to the surface to breathe, however they can spend from 30 minutes to 2 hours diving between breaths. They have two major adaptations that allows them to do this.
Firstly they have one elongate cylindrical lung that extends for almost the entire length of their body which is very efficient for gas exchange. They are also able to carry out cutaneous respiration. This means that oxygen diffuses from sea water across the snake’s skin into tiny blood vessels and carbon dioxide diffuses out.
Snakes elongate bodies are preadapted for efficient swimming, and most sea snake species have developed a paddle shaped tail that further enhances their locomotory ability in water.
Sea snakes are air breathing reptiles and must come to the surface to breathe, however they can spend from 30 minutes to 2 hours diving between breaths. They have two major adaptations that allows them to do this.
Firstly they have one elongate cylindrical lung that extends for almost the entire length of their body which is very efficient for gas exchange. They are also able to carry out cutaneous respiration. This means that oxygen diffuses from sea water across the snake’s skin into tiny blood vessels and carbon dioxide diffuses out.
DISTRIBUTION MAP.
iMPORTANCE: ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMICAL
Laticauda colubrina, also known as banded sea kraits, originated in the region of northern Papua New Guinea. This species of sea krait is the most widely distributed of the Laticauda complex which includes the related species, Laticauda colubrina and Laticauda saintgirosi. The breeding range of banded sea kraits is limited to the Australian and Oriental Oceanic geographic ranges. Because they inhabit coral reefs and live mostly off the coast of small islands, they have a patchy geographic distribution, a characteristic off most sea snake species. Generally, they are widespread through Indo-Australian Archipelago, the Bay of Bengal, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. More specifically, the breeding range extends westward to the the Andaman and Nicobor Islands and northward to Taiwan and the Miyako and Yaeyaema island groups in the southwestern part of the Ryukyu Archipelago in southern Japan. They are present off the coast of Thailand but only on its western coast. Their eastern limit is Palua and they are present on the island groups from the Solomon Islands to Tonga in the southwestern Pacific. Their distribution is heavily reliant on several key factors including the presence of coral reefs, sea currents, suitable terrestrial shelter, and paleography. They are not found in the Atlantic and Caribbean oceanic regions. (Cox, et al., 1998; Heatwole, et al., 2005)
Although banded sea kraits are venomous they are extremely reluctant to bite humans even when provoked. They have been known to enter human residences and boats and some bites due to Laticauda colubrina have been documented. However, these attacks are extremely rare and there have been no recorded human fatalities due to this species.
Although banded sea kraits are venomous they are extremely reluctant to bite humans even when provoked. They have been known to enter human residences and boats and some bites due to Laticauda colubrina have been documented. However, these attacks are extremely rare and there have been no recorded human fatalities due to this species.
INTERESTING FACTS
. Sea snakes seem pretty cool. Although all snakes can swim, sea snakes live mostly in the water. They do need to come up for air but can stay under water for up to an hour! Wow, try holding your breath that long! Since they need air regularly they are usually found in shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, and warmer areas of the Pacific Ocean. They eat fish, fish eggs and eels that they find under rocks and in reefs.
. There are about 30-50 different types of sea snakes and they belong to the Cobra family. The average Sea snake grows to about 2 meters long and has a smallish head for its body size. Their tails are flattened to make fast swimming possible and flaps over their nostrils close when they are underwater.
. Eels are sometimes mistaken for Sea Snakes. Eels are part of the fish family and have gills for breathing. Sea snakes do not have gills but lungs instead and need to go to the surface for air.
. Sea Kraits are one of the few sea snakes that go to land to lay their eggs while most others, like the Olive sea snake will give birth in the water.
. There are about 30-50 different types of sea snakes and they belong to the Cobra family. The average Sea snake grows to about 2 meters long and has a smallish head for its body size. Their tails are flattened to make fast swimming possible and flaps over their nostrils close when they are underwater.
. Eels are sometimes mistaken for Sea Snakes. Eels are part of the fish family and have gills for breathing. Sea snakes do not have gills but lungs instead and need to go to the surface for air.
. Sea Kraits are one of the few sea snakes that go to land to lay their eggs while most others, like the Olive sea snake will give birth in the water.
VOCABULARY
Scales- small, hard plates that cover a snake’s whole body.
Molt- when a snake shed’s its skin.
Venom- a liquid from an animal that causes sickness or death.
Reptiles- the group of scaly, cold blooded animals that includes snakes, crocodiles and tortoises.
Fangs- a pair of sharp teeth used to inject venom.
Molt- when a snake shed’s its skin.
Venom- a liquid from an animal that causes sickness or death.
Reptiles- the group of scaly, cold blooded animals that includes snakes, crocodiles and tortoises.
Fangs- a pair of sharp teeth used to inject venom.