Banded Sea Krait
Laticauda colubrina
Elegant Sea Snake
Hydrophis elegans
About
The elegant sea snake is a highly venomous hunter that glides through coastal waters off northern Australia. It is a slender, medium-sized snake that can weigh up to 2.3 kg, built for a life spent almost entirely at sea.
Also known as: bar-bellied sea snake, elegant seasnake
- Weight
- max 2.3 kg
- Depth
- up to 80 m
How to tell it apart
Several sea snakes share the same flattened tail, so that will not tell them apart. Look instead at the banding: this species carries many narrow bands running the full length of the body, rather than a few broad rings.
Appearance
This sea snake has a slender body and a flattened, paddle-shaped tail that it uses like a fin to swim. Up to 44 dark grey to black bands cross the whole length of its body, and it has large scales on its head.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
