Enhydrina

It can be identified by checking indistinct bands on light ground color and beak shaped snout which is not found in other Sea Snakes of its range. 

DIAGNOSTICS CHARACTERS

Body:

Less slender anteriorly, clearly compressed on posterior. Dorsal body gray, bluish-gray, olive green with yellowish-white side and belly. About 46-60 moderately dark bands found dorsally, broadest on top, tapered on side and absent underside. Old individuals have more or less uniform dorsal because bands get fused with ground color. Tail laterally compressed and oar like.

Head: 

Head moderate, scarcely broader than neck and covered with fragmented shields. Foremost scales of snout curved downwards and give appearance of “beak” and so the name “Beaked Sea Snake”. Moderate eyes with rounded pupil.

REPRODUCTION

Viviparous. Female maturity reaches at 18 months. Gravid females seen during winter to summer months. Directly gives birth to 4-33 young from late winters to monsoon.

SIZE

New born- 21-24cm.

Average length- 100cm.

Maximum length- 158cm.

MORPHOLOGY

Head: 

Head shields entire; 7-8 supralabial, 3rd & 4th or 4th alone in contact with eyes, last 2-3 very small; 1 preocular, 1-2 postocular; usually 1 anterior temporal; mental scales small.

Dorsal: 

40-52 (Male), 42-55 (Female) rows around the neck, 49-60 (Male), 51-66 (Female) around the mid-body; scales imbricate or sub imbricate with a short central keel.

Ventral: 

239-322 (354), distinct throughout.

BEHAVIOUR

 Activity both diurnal and nocturnal spends most of life underwater and occasionally comes on land where it becomes helpless. Behavior usually non-offensive, still it is considered to be one of the most aggressive Sea Snake. 

TROPHIC STRATEGY

 Feeds on arid and plotosid catfishes.

VENOMOSITY

Venomous

GENERAL HABITAT

 Lives in tropical coasts. Prefers activity in shallow water, river mouth, mangrove waters, estuaries, fresh water lakes etc. Use sand and mud for activity on land.