Sea Snakes

Hydrophis melanosoma

Enhydrina Schistosa

This is a sea snake.

The adult is usually uniformly grey above and white below.

The young are grey or bluish grey above and white below, with dark grey or black cross-bars which are broadest on the neck.

It is about 1 metre (3ft.) long, rarely reaching 1.3 metres (4ft)

Most characteristic of this snake is the nostril produced in front giving a beak-like appearance to the mouth and a deep groove under the chin (in which the narrow mental is more or less concealed).

The tail is flattened and this is an important feature for identification.

The fangs (and marks) are the smallest of the poisonous snakes seen in Malaysia.

This is the commonest of all the sea snakes and is found all round the coasts of Peninsular Malaysia.

It causes most of the snake bites among fishermen and swimmers.

The venom is both neurotoxic and myotoxic.

Antivenene for the species is available.