Hydrophis spiralis

Hydrophis spiralis

Yellow sea snake

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SPECIES
Hydrophis spiralis

Hydrophis spiralis, commonly known as the yellow sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae. H. spiralis feeds primarily on eels and is found in muddy, sandy ocean bottoms.

Appearance

This is perhaps the longest species of sea-snake, measuring up to 3.0 metres (9.8 ft); however, most specimens do not exceed 2.0 meters. This marine serpent is cathemeral, i.e., active both by day and night.

Distribution

Geography

Hydrophis spiralis is found in the Indian Ocean (Persian Gulf, off the coasts of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. It is also found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India (incl. Andaman & Nicobar Is.), Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippines, China, New Guinea, New Caledonia/Loyalty Islands, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia and Myanmar. The species has been reported to live in waters as deep as 50m.

Habits and Lifestyle

Venom

The venom of H. spiralis has been studied for its medicinal antitumor properties.

Diet and Nutrition

References

1. Hydrophis spiralis Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrophis_spiralis
2. Hydrophis spiralis on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/176717/7289307

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