Hydrophis curtus

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Hydrophis curtus
Hydrophis pelamidoides - 1700-1880 - Print - Iconographia Zoologica - Special Collections University of Amsterdam - UBA01 IZ11800187.tif
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Hydrophis
Species:
H. curtus
Binomial name
Hydrophis curtus
(Shaw, 1802)

Hydrophis curtus, also known as Shaw's Sea Snake, short sea snake, but often includes Hydrophis hardwickii [2] is a species of sea snake. Like most Hydrophiinae sea snakes, it is a viviparous, fully marine, and front fanged elapid that is highly venomous. [3] It is collected for a variety of purposes including human and animal food, for medicinal purposes and for their skin. [4]

Contents

Description

This species is characterized by a wide variation in number of ventral scales and degree of parietal scale fragmentation. [2] Both sexes possess spiny scales along their bodies but males have more highly developed spines. This sexual dimorphism in spines may play a role in courtship or in locomotion by reducing drag. [2]

Distribution

It is a widely distributed species and like most sea snakes is restricted to warmer, tropical waters. Its range includes:

Taxonomy

Originally considered to be two species of the genus Hydrophis: Hydrophis curtus and Hydrophis hardwickii . Gritis and Voris (1990) examined the morphological variation of over 1,400 specimens across its geographic range and concluded it is most likely a single species. [2] [4] As is convention, the species name reverts to the first description by Shaw in 1802. DNA and morphological analysis restored its phylogenic status as a single species. [5] An analysis of the population in 2014 found strong evidence of deep divergence and genetic isolation across the geographical range, supporting a division of the species to Indian Ocean and West Pacific groups and high likelihood of cryptic taxa within those groups. [6]

Hydrodynamic sense

They have corpuscles (scale sensillae) concentrated on the front of their head which may be a hydrodynamic receptor. [7] A study measuring brain response to water vibration found that L. curtus is sensitive to low amplitude (100–150 Hz) water motions. [8] Sensing water motion is useful in locating prey, predators, or potential mates and has been demonstrated in other aquatic animals (e.g. lateral line in fish, whiskers in harbour seals). [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elapidae</span> Family of venomous snakes

Elapidae is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs at the front of the mouth. Most elapids are venomous, with the exception of the genus Emydocephalus. Many members of this family exhibit a threat display of rearing upwards while spreading out a neck flap. Elapids are endemic to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, with terrestrial forms in Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas and marine forms in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Members of the family have a wide range of sizes, from the 18 cm (7.1 in) white-lipped snake to the 5.85 m king cobra. Most species have neurotoxic venom that is channeled by their hollow fangs, and some may contain other toxic components in various proportions. The family includes 55 genera with around 360 species and over 170 subspecies.

<i>Acrochordus granulatus</i> Species of snake

Acrochordus granulatus is a snake species found from India through Southeast Asia to the Solomon Islands. It is known as the little file snake, marine file snake, and little wart snake. It is completely aquatic and almost helpless on land. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Hydrophis nigrocinctus</i> Species of sea snake

Hydrophis nigrocinctus is a species of marine venomous snakes in the family Elapidae.

<i>Hydrophis schistosus</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis schistosus, commonly known as the beaked sea snake, hook-nosed sea snake, common sea snake, or the Valakadeyan sea snake, is a highly venomous species of sea snake common throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. This species is implicated in more than 50% of all bites caused by sea snakes, as well as the majority of envenomings and fatalities.

<i>Hydrophis brooki</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis brookii is a species of venomous sea snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species is native to bodies of water in Southeast Asia.

<i>Hydrophis klossi</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis klossi, commonly known as Kloss's sea snake, is a species of sea snake in the family Elapidae. Like all other sea snakes, it is venomous. The species is endemic to the Indian Ocean.

<i>Hydrophis spiralis</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis spiralis, commonly known as the yellow sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

Hydrophis annandalei, commonly known as Annandale's sea snake or the bighead sea snake, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species, which is sometimes placed in its own genus Kolpophis, is native to parts of the Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spine-bellied sea snake</span> Species of snake

The spine-bellied sea snake, also commonly known as Hardwicke's sea snake and Hardwicke's spine-bellied sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea snake</span> Subfamily of reptiles

Sea snakes, or coral reef snakes, are elapid snakes that inhabit marine environments for most or all of their lives. They belong to two subfamilies, Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae. Hydrophiinae also includes Australasian terrestrial snakes, whereas Laticaudinae only includes the sea kraits (Laticauda), of which three species are found exclusively in freshwater. If these three freshwater species are excluded, there are 69 species of sea snakes divided between seven genera.

<i>Hydrophis</i> Genus of snakes

Hydrophis is a genus of sea snakes, venomous snakes in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. Species in the genus Hydrophis are typically found in Indo-Australian and Southeast Asian waters. Currently, around 36 species are recognized as being valid.

<i>Hydrophis peronii</i> Species of snake

Hydrophis peronii, commonly known as the horned sea snake, Peron's sea snake, and the spiny-headed seasnake, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to the western tropical Pacific Ocean. It is the only sea snake with spines on the head. It is sometimes placed in its own genus Acalyptophis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-bellied sea snake</span> Species of snake

The yellow-bellied sea snake is a venomous species of snake from the subfamily Hydrophiinae found in tropical oceanic waters around the world except for the Atlantic Ocean. For many years, it was placed in the monotypic genus Pelamis, but recent molecular evidence indicates it lies within the genus Hydrophis.

Hydrophis donaldi, or the rough-scaled sea snake is a unique species of sea snake from Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria first described in 2012. It is a yellow to brown, striped snake that reaches up to a meter in length. It gives live birth and is venomous enough to be dangerous to humans. The primary distinguishing trait of the rough-scaled sea snake is the presence of a single spine on every scale covering the snake's body. The snake's tough, spiny scales may protect it from being buffeted against the rocks of its stony estuary habitats by the action of the waves and currents. Other less spectacular traits distinguishing it from other members of the genus Hydrophis include the lack of a groove running through the scales underlying its abdomen, a larger and rounder skull, differing numbers of scales around the circumference of different bodily regions, and a larger number of stripes than many sea snakes have.

Hydrophis zweifeli is a species of snakes found from New Guinea to Australia. In the past they were thought to be Hydrophis schistosus, but after DNA testing are now provisionally identified as Hydrophis zweifeli. DNA test have shown they are not related to Hydrophis schistosus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slender-necked sea snake</span> Species of snake

The slender-necked sea snake, also known commonly as Cogger's sea snake, is a species of marine venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species is native to waters around western Australia and the southern Pacific Ocean.

Aipysurus mosaicus is a species of snake found in coastal seas of Australia. It is commonly known as the mosaic sea snake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geometrical sea snake</span> Species of snake

Hydrophis czeblukovi, also known commonly as the fine-spined sea snake, the geometrical sea snake, and the geometrical seasnake, is species of venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species is native to waters off northern Australia.

The estuarine sea snake, also known commonly as Kharin's sea snake, is a species of marine venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to waters around the northern tip of Australia in the Torres Strait.

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 Rasmussen, A.R.; Crowe-Riddell, J.M.; Courtney, T.; Sanders, K. (2021). "Hydrophis curtus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T176746A132780885. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T176746A132780885.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gritis, P. & H. K. Voris 1990 Variability and significance of parietal and ventral scales in the marine snakes of the genus Lapemis (Serpentes: Hydrophiidae), with comments on the occurrence of spiny scales in the genus. Fieldiana Zool. n.s. (56): i-iii + 1-13.
  3. ↑ Heatwole H. 1999. Sea Snakes. University of New South Wales Press, Sydney.
  4. 1 2 Lukoschek, V., Guinea, M., Cogger, H., Rasmussen, A., Murphy, J., Lane, A., Sanders, K. Lobo, A., Gatus, J., Limpus, C., Milton, D., Courtney, T., Read, M., Fletcher, E., Marsh, D., White, M.-D., Heatwole, H., Alcala, A., Voris, H. & Karns, D. 2010. Lapemis curtus. In: IUCN 2014. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 26 June 2014
  5. ↑ Sanders, K. L., Mumpuni, Lee M. S. Y. 2010 Uncoupling ecological innovation and speciation in sea snakes (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae, Hydrophiini. J. Evol. Biol. 23 (12):2685-93
  6. ↑ Ukuwela, Kanishka D. B.; de Silva, Anslem; Mumpuni; Fry, Bryan G.; Sanders, Kate L. (September 2014). "Multilocus phylogeography of the sea snake reveals historical vicariance and cryptic lineage diversity". Zoologica Scripta. 43 (5): 472–484. doi:10.1111/zsc.12070. S2CID   52838839.
  7. ↑ Povel, D. , Kooij, J.v.d. 1997. Scale sensillae of the file snake (Serpentes: Acrochordidae) and some other aquatic and burrowing snakes. Neth. J. Zool., 47, 443–456
  8. ↑ Westhoff G, Fry BG, Bleckmann H. 2005. Sea snakes (Lapemis curtus) are sensitive to low-amplitude water motions. Zoology 108, 195-200.
  9. ↑ Dehnhardt G, Mauck B, Bleckmann H (1998) Seal whiskers detect water movements. Nature 394, 235-236.
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