Distributed range & status
They are found from north, west, south & north-west coastal areas of Sri Lanka & deep sea. Also from coastal areas of west India through Gulf of Thailand to China Sea, west Malaysia, and Indonesia east to New Guinea, north and east coasts of Australia, Philippines.
Scales
rostral |
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frontal |
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supraoculars |
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parietals |
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prefrontals |
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nasals |
Touches one another |
internasals |
absent |
loreals |
absent |
preoculars |
1 |
postoculars |
2-3 |
temporals |
2+2 or 3+2 |
Supralabials |
8-11 (4-6 touches the eye) |
mental |
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infralabials |
Between them cuneate scales are found |
sublinguals |
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coastals |
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ventrals |
226-286 leaf like with ridges. Post ventrals are overlapped & in divided in to 2. |
anal |
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subcaudals |
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There are 47-59 mid body scale rows.
Characteristics
This snake has a short body. They are the largest in size from sea snakes but not the largest in length. Clear flattened, large head is present. The neck is clear. Algae & barnacles are most likely to be fixed on the body. They have a laterally flattened paddle like tail. Hemipenis free end is divided.
Colour
Juveniles & sub adults are dorsally white, yellow, grey or brown in colour. 24-34 Black or dark brown bands, rings or blotches are found along the body. In between of these bands spots & strips may also found some times. The tail may even have bands. A full grown snake may have a body containing cupper colour or brown. Head is olive or black colour. Ventral body is white with black unclear small marks are found.
Venom
They are highly venomous snakes but a death has never been recorded from Sri Lanka.
Dentition
Dada not found.
Behavior
It is found in shallow & deep seas. They are also found in large groups. They are very slow movers but are very aggressive.
Breeding
It’s an ovoviviparous snake & about 12 off spring are produced at a time in the sea.
Growth
At birth a juvenile is about 300mm & grow up to 1000-1500mm length.
Food
They are known to find their food from the bottom of the ocean.
Identification
Ventrals are all overlapped & divided by a line. This is true for Hydrophis gracilis which has a gradually becoming larger body. But Astrotia stokesii differ in having normal body.
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