Striped sea snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hydrophis fasciatus |
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Hydrophis
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| Species: |
fasciatus
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The striped sea snake (scientific name: Hydrophis fasciatus) is a type of sea snake that lives in the ocean. It is known for its stripes and is a venomous animal, meaning it can deliver venom. This snake belongs to a group of snakes called Elapidae, which includes many well-known venomous snakes.
What it Looks Like
The striped sea snake has a small head and a long, slender body. Its body is thinner near the head and gets a bit thicker towards the middle.
Scales and Teeth
The scales on the thickest part of its body can be shaped like squares or hexagons. They are either very close together or slightly overlap, like roof tiles. This snake has a few teeth (5-6) on its upper jaw, located behind its fangs.
Around its neck, the snake has between 28 and 33 rows of scales. Around the middle of its body, it has more scales, usually 47 to 58 rows. The scales on its belly, called ventral scales, range from 414 to 514, with an average of about 460.
Colors and Patterns
The front part of the snake's body, including its head and neck, is usually dark olive green to black. It often has pale yellow oval spots on its sides. Sometimes, these spots connect to form stripes or bands across its body. The back part of the snake is more grayish. Its underside is whitish.
Young striped sea snakes might have dark, diamond-shaped spots. These spots can sometimes go all the way around their body, forming complete rings.
Size
Male striped sea snakes can grow up to about 110 centimeters (about 3.6 feet) long. Females are a bit shorter, reaching about 99 centimeters (about 3.2 feet). The tail of a male snake is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long, while a female's tail is about 7.5 centimeters (3 inches).
Where it Lives
The striped sea snake lives in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and parts of the Pacific Ocean. You can find it along the coasts of many countries, including:
