Hydrophis viperinus
| Viperine sea snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Hydrophis |
| Species: | H. viperinus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hydrophis viperinus (Schmidt, 1852)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Praescutata viperina (Schmidt, 1852) Thalassophina viperina (Schmidt, 1852) | |
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2022) |
Hydrophis viperinus, commonly known as the viperine sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae (Hydrophiinae).[2]
Diagnostic characters
Scales hexagonal, juxtaposed, in 27–34 rows on the neck, 37–50 at midbody; ventrals 226–274, anteriorly about half the width of the body, narrowing posterior to about twice the width of the adjacent scales, or slightly less; head shields entire, nostrils superior, nasal shields in contact with one another; prefrontals longer than broad, not in contact with upper labials; 1, rarely 2, pre- and 1–2 postoculars; 7-9 upper labials, 3–5 bordering eye (sometimes only 3–4 or 4–5); usually 1 anterior temporal, occasionally 2 or 3; body color, more or less bicolored, gray above, white below, the two usually clearly demarcated on the sides, often with 25–35 dark rhomboidal spots, rarely with dark bands. Total length: males 925 mm, females 820 mm; tail length: males 100 mm, females 80 mm
Distribution
Northern coasts of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific: from the Persian Gulf to around India to Indonesia and southern China. IUCN lists the following countries: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India (Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.), Indonesia, Iran Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.[1]
References
- ^ a b Rasmussen, A.; Sanders, K.; Lobo, A. (2018). "Hydrophis viperinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T176711A136259318. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176711A136259318.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Hydrophis viperinus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 28 October 2012.
- Boulenger,G.A. 1888 Description of two new snakes from Hong Kong, and note on the dentition of Hydrophis viperina. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6) 2: 43-44
- Murray,J.A. 1887 Three New Species of Hydrophis. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 2: 32–35.
- The Reptile Database (http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Hydrophis&species=viperinus).
External links
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Thalassophina_viperina.jpg[permanent dead link]
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Thalassophina_viperina_juv.jpg[permanent dead link]
