Dwarf sea snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hydrophis caerulescens |
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| Genus: |
Hydrophis
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| Species: |
caerulescens
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The Hydrophis caerulescens, commonly known as the dwarf sea snake, is a type of venomous sea snake. It belongs to the Elapidae family, which includes many well-known snakes like cobras. This snake lives in the ocean and is known for its small head and slender body.
Contents
Where Does the Dwarf Sea Snake Live?
The dwarf sea snake can be found in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Its home ranges from the coasts of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to Myanmar and Thailand.
You can also find it near Indonesia and Malaysia. Further east, it lives along the coasts of Shandong and Guangdong in China, and throughout the South China Sea. It even reaches as far as Australia (specifically Queensland) and the islands of New Caledonia/Loyalty Islands.
What Does the Dwarf Sea Snake Look Like?
The dwarf sea snake has a unique appearance. Its back is usually bluish or grayish blue. This color fades to a yellowish shade on its belly.
Body Patterns and Size
This snake has many dark bluish-black bands across its body. There are typically between 35 and 58 of these bands. In younger snakes, these bands are very clear and easy to see. As the snake gets older, the bands might become less noticeable.
Adult dwarf sea snakes can grow up to about 74 centimeters (2 feet 5 inches) long. That's roughly the length of a baseball bat!
Scales and Head Features
The scales on the thickest part of its body are shaped like squares or hexagons. They might slightly overlap or just touch each other. The scales on its belly are much larger than the scales next to them.
The dwarf sea snake has a very small head. The front part of its body is also very thin, much narrower than the back part. Its head is usually black. Young snakes might have a yellowish horseshoe-shaped mark on their head.
Like all venomous snakes, it has special teeth called fangs. These fangs are hollow and deliver venom. Behind the fangs, it has several other solid teeth.
