(Heatwole, 1987)
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| The familes
Hydrophiidae (true sea snakes) and Laticaudidae (sea kraits)
make up the majority of the sea snake population. These snakes are
located in mainly tropical to subtropical climates such as Australia,
Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, and Fiji (Heatwole,
1997).
Sea snakes have many interesting facts about them; however, one of the most non-evident characteristics is that they are air breathers. This quality may seem odd since their living environment is marine. The snakes must come to the surface of the water in order to gain air at least once in every two hours. In fact some species of sea snakes may remain submerged for more than eight hours (www.underwater.com.au/seasnakes.html). |
| On one hand
sea snakes share many more characteristics with land snakes such as forked
tongues, and lidless eyes. On the other sea snakes do differ slightly
when compared to land snakes when dealing with physiology and body structure.
One of the main differences of the aforementioned snakes is the sea snakes'
flatened tail (see picture above), which aids in movement in the water
(Heatwole 1975).
Sea snakes can swim to depths of 150 feet (45 m). Usually the snakes feed on fish, eels, crabs, and cuttlefish. Most of the time spent in the life of a sea snake is swimming around coral reefs, mangrove swamps, or salt marshes while looking for something to eat (Priede, 1990). |
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