Tag: sea snake

Sea Snake Update …

Guys, this was your big chance but no, I was not inundated with ID suggestions for the snake with the paddle for a tail. Fortunately there is iNaturalist and the snake now has a certified, research grade identity (drum roll) …

photo Tiffany Kosch

It is, of course, an Olive Sea Snake Aipysurus laevis. It is reasonably common and one of the better studied sea snakes. It feeds on fish, fish eggs and crustaceans utilising a particularly nasty venom. One of its most interesting features is its photosensitive tail. It spends its off-duty moments hidden in holes in rock or coral when it must feel a lot safer knowing that its tail is not sticking out in the sunlight.

More information can be found <HERE>.

Beachcast …

The flattened tail tells the tale. It’s a sea snake. I found it at Broome’s Town Beach. About 31 species are known from Australian waters, not all come to this part of the coast. They are mostly found in the tropics. Most feed on fish and are highly venomous but not aggressive to people. They swim well but cannot slither along on land. They are live bearers which enables to spend their entire lives in the water but they do need to come to the surface to breath. They are closely related to Australia’s terrestrial elapids.

I can’t identify this one to species. About 10 species are known from this area but that doesn’t guarantee that it’s one of them. It has a relatively large head which does rule out a few species. If you can solve the mystery please let me know in the comments.