1. Yellowbellied Sea Snake
Sea Snakes
Yellowbellied Sea Snake

2. Sea Snake History
Sea snakes provide an example of an animal group, considered by some to be at least partially preadapted for life in the water, that has recolonized the ocean in fairly recent geological time.
The snake family Hydrophidae includes about 50 species, all are sea dwellers and venomous (their closest land relatives are the deadly cobras, kraits, and mambas).
Sea snakes are found in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
They are usually abundant in shallow coastal waters, some species enter freshwater streams, and one species is wholly pelagic.
A few are amphibious, venturing ashore to lay their eggs, but most live completely at sea.
Modifications that make them well suited to life in the marine environment prevent them from returning permanently to land.
9/19/2018

3. Introduction to Sea Snakes
Sea Snake basics
There are about 80 species of sea snakes.
Sea snakes are very venomous, bur not very aggressive.
An average sized sea snake can produce milligrams of venom. The fatal dose for humans is 1.5 milligrams!
Their poison is 20 times more powerful than the one of the cobra, but they inject much less if they inject any at all.
9/19/2018

4. Sea Snake Fangs
Sea snakes have relatively short fangs. Yellow-lipped sea krait
9/19/2018

5. Sea Snakes Background
Sea snakes provide an example of an animal group, considered by some to be at least partially pre-adapted for life in the water, that has recolonized the ocean in fairly recent geological time.
The snake family Hydrophidae includes about 50 species, all are sea dwellers and venomous (their closest land relatives are the deadly cobras, kraits, and mambas).
Sea snakes are found in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are usually abundant in shallow coastal waters, some species enter freshwater streams, and one species is wholly pelagic.
A few are amphibious, venturing ashore to lay their eggs, but most live completely at sea.
Modifications that make them well suited to life in the marine environment prevent them from returning permanently to land.
9/19/2018

6. Sea Snake Characteristics
Flattened tail and bodies, usually no “neck”, paddle-like tails.
Skin which is more impermeable to salt than land snakes, but allows water to pass in more easily than out.
Usually dark-colored top to camouflage from above, and light-colored belly to look like the sky from below.
They molt more frequently than land snakes, about every 2-6 weeks, probably to get rid of parasites and barnacles.
Most are active to depths of only 30m although they can dive as deep as 150m.
9/19/2018

7. Yellowbellied Sea Snake
The most dangerous snake in the world
There is no known anti-toxin
If you are bitten by this snake you will die
However, these snakes are found mostly in the open sea.
They are not aggressive and rarely bite humans.
9/19/2018

8. Produced by Phyllis Butler
The End
Produced by Phyllis Butler