HYDROPHIS : SEA SNAKE

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1) HYDROPHIS : SEA SNAKE

1.1) CLASSIFICATION OF HYDROPHIS : SEA SNAKE

1.2) GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

1.3) HABIT AND HABITAT

1.4) GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF HYDROPHIS : SEA SNAKE

1.5) SPECIAL FEATURES

1.6) IDENTIFICATION

1.7) REFERENCES

CLASSIFICATION OF HYDROPHIS : SEA SNAKE

PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present )

Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present )

Sub-phylum :- VERTEBRATA ( vertebral column present)

Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA ( Jaws and paired appendages present )

Super class :- TETRAPODA ( Paired limbs, lungs, bony skeleton and cornified skin).

Class :- REPTILIA ( Scaly vertebrates with right and left aortic arches. Single condyle, pulmonary respiration. Embryo with amnion and allantois ).

Sub-class :- DIAPSIDA ( Skull with two temporal openings separated by postorbital and squamosal ).

Order :- SQUAMATA ( Lizards and snakes with horny epidermal scales or shields. Quadrate bone movable. Vertebrae procoelous. Anal opening transverse).

Sub-order :- OPHIDIA ( Snakes. Limbs, feet, ear openings sternum and urinary bladder absent. Mandibles jointed anteriorly by ligament. Tongue slender, bifid and protrusible. Left lung reduced).

Family :- HYDROPHIDAE ( Tails compressed used for swimming ).

GENUS :- Dendrophis

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Hydrophis or Sea snake is found in India, along the Pacific coast from southern Mexico to northen south America, in the Bay of Bengal and Malasiya Archipelago.

HABIT AND HABITAT

Sea snakes are mostly confined to the warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, feeding on fishes.

GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF HYDROPHIS : SEA SNAKE

Commonly called sea snake Body divided into head, neck, trunk and tail.
All sea snakes have paddle-like tails and many have laterally compressed bodies that give them an eel-like appearance.
Body is elongated, laterally about 2 meters in length, and covered with small scales.
General pigmentation is dark olive green above with yellowish cross bars and whitish area below.
Head insdistinct and covered by large sheilds. Head contains nostril, mouth and eye.
Sea snakes appear to be active both day and night.
Along with whales, they are among the most completely aquatic of all air-breathing vertebrates.
Paired eyes small with rounded pupil.
Ventral scales are Loreal shield is absent. One pre-ocular, 2 post-oculars and 7-8 supra labials present 3rd and 4th supra-labials touch the eyes.
Maxillary teeth 14-18 behind the poison fangs.
Sea snakes are oviparous and they come out of water for egg laying.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Hydrophis or Sea Snake is deadly poisonous or venomous snake and very dangerous to mankind. Its venom is neurotoxic. The tail is compressed and adapted for swimming. Tail in oar like.