kids encyclopedia robot

Striped sea snake facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Hydrophis fasciatus
Hydrophis fasciatus.JPG
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Hydrophis
Species:
fasciatus
Synonyms
  • Hydrus fasciatus
    Schneider, 1799
  • Pelamis fasciatus
    - Merrem, 1820
  • Disteira fasciata
    - Fitzinger, 1826
  • Hydrophis fasciatus
    - A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1854
  • Micromastophis fasciatus
    - Prater, 1924
  • Aturia fasciata
    - Wall, 1921
  • Hydrophis fasciatus
    - M.A. Smith, 1943

Hydrophis fasciatus, commonly known as the striped sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae (Hydrophiinae).

Description

Hydrophis fasciatus has a small head, long body and is slender anteriorly. The scales on thickest part of body are subquadrangular or hexagonal in shape, juxtaposed or slightly imbricate. It has 5-6 maxillary (upper jaw bone) teeth behind fangs and 2 anterior temporals.

Body scales in 28-33 rows around the neck, 47-58 around midbody (increase in number of rows from neck to midbody 20–27); ventral scales 414-514 (average 460).

Anterior part of body including head and neck dark olive to black with pale oval yellowish spots on sides, sometimes connected as crossbars; posterior, grayish; below whitish; dark rhomboidal spots may extend down the sides of the body and form complete annuli in young.

Total length males 1100 mm, females 990 mm; tail length males 100 mm, females 75 mm.

Distribution

kids search engine
Striped sea snake Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.