Hydrophis melanocephalus

Last updated

Hydrophis melanocephalus
Japan sea snake, Slender-necked Seasnake (Hydrophis melanocephalus) (15601772710).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Hydrophis
Species:
H. melanocephalus
Binomial name
Hydrophis melanocephalus
Gray, 1849
Synonyms
  • Hydrophis sublævis Var. melanocephala Gray, 1849
  • Hydrophis melanocephalus
    - Boulenger, 1896
  • Microcephalophis melanocephalus - Stejneger, 1898
  • Disteira melanocephala
    - Stejneger, 1907
  • Leioselasma melanocephala - Welch, 1994 [2]

Hydrophis melanocephalus, commonly known as the slender-necked sea snake , is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae. [3]

Contents

Geographic range

Description

Head black dorsally and ventrally, with a yellowish bar on the prefrontals, and with a yellowish streak behind the eye on the postocular and upper portion of last upper labial. Anterior part of body black dorsally and ventrally, with yellow crossbars on the dorsum. Posterior part of body olive dorsally and yellow ventrally, with black rings, which are broader on the dorsum.

The type specimen, a female, is 107 cm (42 in) in total length, with a tail 8.5 cm (3+14 in) long.

All dorsal scales rhomboidal and imbricate (overlapping). Dorsal scales on neck smooth, arranged in 25 rows. Dorsal scales on body with a short keel or small tubercle, in 35 rows. Ventrals 329.

The head very small and the body long, very slender anteriorly. Rostral slightly broader than deep. Frontal nearly twice as long as broad, as long as its distance from the rostral, slightly shorter than the parietals. One preocular and one postocular. A single anterior temporal. Seven or eight upper labials, second largest and in contact with the prefrontal, third and fourth (or third, fourth, and fifth) entering the eye. There are two pairs of small chin shields, in contact with each other. The tail is laterally flattened and oar-like. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stokes's sea snake</span> Species of snake

Stokes's sea snake is a large species of sea snake in the family Elapidae. It is sometimes placed in its own genus Astrotia. The species is endemic to tropical Indo-Pacific oceanic waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive-headed sea snake</span> Species of snake

The olive-headed sea snake, also known as the greater sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

<i>Hydrophis caerulescens</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis caerulescens, commonly known as the dwarf sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

<i>Hydrophis cyanocinctus</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis cyanocinctus, commonly called the annulated sea snake or the blue-banded sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

<i>Hydrophis klossi</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis klossi, commonly known as Kloss's sea snake, is a species of sea snake in the family Elapidae. Like all other sea snakes, it is venomous. The species is endemic to the Indian Ocean.

Hydrophis stricticollis, commonly called the collared sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerdon's sea snake</span> Species of snake

Jerdon's sea snake is a species of venomous sea snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spine-bellied sea snake</span> Species of snake

The spine-bellied sea snake, also commonly known as Hardwicke's sea snake and Hardwicke's spine-bellied sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Günther's black snake</span> Species of snake

Günther's black snake is a species of poorly known lamprophiid snake endemic to central Africa. It is the only member of the genus, Bothrolycus. This snake is notable as one of the few snakes with notable sexual dimorphism, as well as possessing a small pit anterior to the eye. While superficially similar to the thermal pits of vipers, its function remains unknown.

Hypoptophis is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) mildly venomous snake species, Hypoptophis wilsonii. The species, which is endemic to Africa, is in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

<i>Macrelaps</i> Genus of snakes

Macrelaps is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) venomous snake species, M. microlepidotus, endemic to South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognised.

The Cameroon racer, Poecilopholis cameronensis, is a species of rear-fanged mildly venomous snake endemic to Africa. Poecilopholis is a monotypic genus created for this species.

Micrelaps boettgeri, commonly known as Boettger's two-headed snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Africa.

Polemon barthii, or the Guinea snake-eater, is a species of rear-fanged mildly venomous snake in the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Africa.

Polemon christyi, also known commonly as Christy's snake-eater and the eastern snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. The species is native to Central Africa and East Africa.

Polemon gracilis, or the graceful snake-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.

Aparallactus jacksonii, or Jackson's centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae.

<i>Aparallactus modestus</i> Species of snake

Aparallactus modestus, or the western forest centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the Atractaspididae family.

Aparallactus nigriceps, or the Mozambique centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae.

Aparallactus werneri, or the Usambara centipede-eater, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Tanzania.

References

  1. Rasmussen, A. (2010). "Hydrophis melanocephalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T176762A7299369. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176762A7299369.en . Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  2. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. "Hydrophis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 7 September 2007.
  4. Boulenger, G.A. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Heteroglyphæ),... Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). London. xiv + 727 pp., Plates I.-XXV. (Hydrophis melanocephalus, p. 283 & Plate XV.)

Further reading