Page 377 - (DK) Ocean - The Definitive Visual Guide

375

ORDER SQUAMATA east in the Coral Sea. The turtle-
headed sea snake moves slowly
Turtle-headed among living corals, methodically
searching for egg masses either glued
Sea Snake to the coral’s branches or laid directly
on the coral sand. When it finds an
Emydocephalus annulatus
egg mass, it scrapes the eggs off with
LENGTH 2–4 ft an enlarged scale on its upper jaw,
(60–120 cm)
which works like a blade. In most
WEIGHT Up to 3 lb (1.5 kg) cases, parent fish leave the eggs
HABITAT Coral reefs and unguarded, so the snakes can feed
coral sand banks unhindered, but some species—
such as damselfish—guard their
DISTRIBUTION Indian Ocean and Pacific, from eggs aggressively and try to keep
northern Australia to Fiji
the snakes away.
Little is known about this snake’s
This Australasian sea snake is highly reproductive habits, apart from the
notable for its color variation, and fact that the females give birth to live
also for its highly specialized lifestyle young. In keeping with their lifestyle,
as a predator of fish eggs. The color turtle-headed sea snakes have tiny
it most commonly takes is a plain fangs (less than / 32 in [1 mm] long)
1
blue-gray, which is found throughout and they rarely try to bite. Their
its range. A striking ringed form lives venom is one of the weakest of any
in some parts of the Great Barrier sea snake, and instead of striking back
Reef, while a rarer, dark or melanistic at predators, they react to danger by
form is found on isolated reefs farther disappearing into crevices in the reef.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Olive Sea Snake

Aipysurus laevis
LENGTH 3–7 ft (1–2.2 m)
WEIGHT Up to 6 / 2 lb
1
(3 kg)
HABITAT Coral reefs,
coastal shallows,
estuaries
DISTRIBUTION Eastern Indian Ocean and western
Pacific, from western Australia to New Caledonia
Plain brown or olive-brown above,
with a paler underside, this common
sea snake is one of six closely related
species found in the reefs and shallow
coastal waters of northern Australasia.
Like its relatives, it has a cylindrical
body, a flattened tail, and enlarged
ventral scales—a feature normally
found in snakes that spend some or
all of their life on land. However, it is
fully aquatic, hunting fish among the
crevices and recesses of large corals.
Instead of roaming throughout a reef,
it often stays in the same small area
of coral, rarely venturing into open
ORDER SQUAMATA This fish-eating snake has water except after dark.
one of the most restricted Olive sea snakes give birth to live
Leaf-scaled ranges of any sea snake, young, producing up to five
being confined to a group finger-sized offspring after a
Sea Snake of remote coral reefs about 185 miles gestation period of nine months.
(300 km) off the northwest coast of Unlike the adults, the young are
Aipysurus foliosquama
Australia. It is marked with contrasting dark in color, with a boldly
LENGTH Up to 2 ft (60 cm) bands or rings and gets its name from contrasting pattern of lighter
WEIGHT Up to 1 lb the characteristic shape of its dorsal bands. This is gradually lost as
(0.5 kg) scales. It lives in shallow water and they become mature. Olive sea
HABITAT Coral reefs and rarely dives deeper than about 33 ft snakes are naturally inquisitive OCEAN LIFE
coral sand banks (10 m). Although venomous, it is and often approach divers. They
rarely aggressive. Female leaf-scaled have short fangs and bite readily if
DISTRIBUTION Timor Sea (Ashmore and Hibernia sea snakes are larger than the males provoked. Their venom is toxic and
reefs)
and give birth to live young. has been known to be fatal.