Laticauda laticaudata

Blue-lipped sea krait
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Hydrophiidae or Elapidae
Genus: Laticauda
Species: L. laticaudata
Binomial name
Laticauda laticaudata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms

Coluber laticaudatus Linnaeus, 1758
Laticauda scutata Laurenti, 1768
Platurus laticaudatus Girard, 1858

The blue-lipped sea krait (Laticauda laticaudata) is a species of sea snake.

Diagnostic characters

L. laticaudata hunting in the coral reefs offshore in Ko Samui, Thailand.

Ventral scales of this snake are large, one-third to more than one-half the width of the body; the nostrils are lateral; nasal scales are separated by internasals; 19 longitudinal rows of imbricate scales are found at midbody; no azygous prefrontal shield is present; rostral scales are undivided; ventrals number 225-243; subcaudals number 38–47 in males, females have 30–35 (ventral and subcaudal counts after Smith 1943:443). The upper lip is dark brown. Total length varies with sex: males are 910 mm (36 in), females are 1,070 mm (42 in); tail lengths are similar: 110 mm (4.3 in).

Distribution

This species is found in the Indian Ocean (East India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines), off the coasts of Fujian and Taiwan (R.O.C), Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal, coasts of Malay Peninsula to New Guinea, Japan, Polynesia, Melanesia, Solomon Islands [McCoy 2006], Timor-Leste and New Caledonia.

Special features

See also

References

  1. Lane, A., Guinea, M., Lobo, A. & Gatus, J. (2010). "Laticauda laticaudata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 October 2012.

External links

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