Hydrophis belcheri
Encyclopedia
The Faint-banded Sea snake (Hydrophis belcheri, also known as the Belcher's ocean snake) is a species of elapid
sea snake. It has a friendly temperament and would normally have to be subjected to severe mistreatment before biting. Usually those bitten are fishermen handling nets, although only a quarter of those bitten are envenomated since the snake rarely injects much of its venom. Because of this, and its docile nature, it is generally not regarded as very dangerous. The toxicity of this species' venom has many times been called into question, with some herpetologists and snake enthusiasts naming either the beaked sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa
) or the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) as having the most toxic venom.
Like other sea snakes, it has a paddle-like tail which makes it an expert swimmer; it rarely goes on land, and eats fish and shellfish. It breathes air, has valves over its nostrils that close underwater. It can hold its breath for as long as 7 to 8 hours while hunting and even sleeping but then has to come over water surface for a quick breath of air. It is generally docile and not aggressive at all. It may deliver a provoked bite only after repeated severe treatment. It usually bites fishermen handling nets but only 25% of those bitten are envenomed.
(Philippines
: Visayan
area, Panay
; New Guinea
), Gulf of Thailand
,
Australia
(North Territory?, Queensland
?), Solomon Islands
[McCoy 2000]. Especially around the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea
off northwest Australia.
, and was named by John Edward Gray in 1849. It was independently discovered and named by Charles Darwin
in 1851, though he retracted his claim upon being provided with a copy of Belcher's work.. 'Hydrophis' comes from Greek 'hydro' = water + 'ophis' = serpent, 'belcheri' comes from Latin here 'belonging to a man named Belcher'. It is also referred as Faint Banded Sea Snake and Belcher's Sea Snake.
The faint-banded sea snake has been mistakenly called the "hook-nosed sea snake" (which is actually Enhydrina schistosa
) and in one instance was called the "blue-banded sea snake" (which is actually one name for Hydrophis cyanocinctus
).
Elapidae
Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, terrestrially in Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America and aquatically in the Pacific and Indian Oceans...
sea snake. It has a friendly temperament and would normally have to be subjected to severe mistreatment before biting. Usually those bitten are fishermen handling nets, although only a quarter of those bitten are envenomated since the snake rarely injects much of its venom. Because of this, and its docile nature, it is generally not regarded as very dangerous. The toxicity of this species' venom has many times been called into question, with some herpetologists and snake enthusiasts naming either the beaked sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa
Enhydrina schistosa
Beaked seasnake is a species of sea snake.-Description:...
) or the Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) as having the most toxic venom.
Description
The faint-banded sea snake is of moderate size, ranging from 0.5 to 1 meter in adult length. Its thin body is usually chrome yellowish in colour and is surrounded by dark greenish bands. Head is short and has same colour as that of bands. Its mouth is very small but suitable for aquatic life. Its body when viewed outside water appears having fainted yellow colour. Its scales are different from other snakes and they overlap each other. Dorsal pattern does not extend on to venter; it has scales with a central tubercle. It is highly compressed at the rear end of the body and has a short head. Abdominal board is very narrow or non-existent.Like other sea snakes, it has a paddle-like tail which makes it an expert swimmer; it rarely goes on land, and eats fish and shellfish. It breathes air, has valves over its nostrils that close underwater. It can hold its breath for as long as 7 to 8 hours while hunting and even sleeping but then has to come over water surface for a quick breath of air. It is generally docile and not aggressive at all. It may deliver a provoked bite only after repeated severe treatment. It usually bites fishermen handling nets but only 25% of those bitten are envenomed.
Distribution
Indian OceanIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
(Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
: Visayan
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
area, Panay
Panay
Panay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
; New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
), Gulf of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
,
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(North Territory?, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
?), Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
[McCoy 2000]. Especially around the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea
Timor Sea
The Timor Sea is a relatively shallow sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, to the south by Australia and to the west by the Indian Ocean....
off northwest Australia.
Taxonomic history
The scientific name commemorates the British explorer Sir Edward BelcherEdward Belcher
Admiral Sir Edward Belcher, KCB , was a British naval officer and explorer. He was the great-grandson of Governor Jonathan Belcher. His wife, Diana Jolliffe, was the stepdaughter of Captain Peter Heywood.-Early life:...
, and was named by John Edward Gray in 1849. It was independently discovered and named by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
in 1851, though he retracted his claim upon being provided with a copy of Belcher's work.. 'Hydrophis' comes from Greek 'hydro' = water + 'ophis' = serpent, 'belcheri' comes from Latin here 'belonging to a man named Belcher'. It is also referred as Faint Banded Sea Snake and Belcher's Sea Snake.
The faint-banded sea snake has been mistakenly called the "hook-nosed sea snake" (which is actually Enhydrina schistosa
Enhydrina schistosa
Beaked seasnake is a species of sea snake.-Description:...
) and in one instance was called the "blue-banded sea snake" (which is actually one name for Hydrophis cyanocinctus
Hydrophis cyanocinctus
Annulated Sea Snake Hydrophis cyanocinctus is a species of sea snake.-Description:Head moderate; eye shorter than its distance from the mouth in the adult...
).