Shaw's Sea Snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shaw's Sea Snake |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hydrophis
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| Species: |
curtus
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The Hydrophis curtus, also known as Shaw's Sea Snake or the short sea snake, is a type of sea snake. Sometimes, another snake called Hydrophis hardwickii is also included under this name. Like other sea snakes in the Hydrophiinae group, it lives entirely in the ocean. It is a viviparous animal, meaning it gives birth to live young instead of laying eggs. This snake is also a type of elapid snake, which means it has fangs at the front of its mouth and is very venomous. People collect these snakes for different reasons, including for food, medicine, and their skin.
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About Shaw's Sea Snake
This sea snake has some interesting features on its body. Its belly scales, called ventral scales, can vary a lot in number. Also, the scales on its head, called parietal scales, can be broken into many small pieces.
Both male and female snakes have spiny scales along their bodies. However, the male snakes have much more developed spines. Scientists think these differences in spines between males and females might help them during courtship or even help them move through the water by reducing drag.
Where Do Shaw's Sea Snakes Live?
Shaw's Sea Snake is found in many places around the world. Like most sea snakes, it prefers warm, tropical waters.
You can find this snake in:
- The Persian Gulf (near Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Iran)
- The Indian Ocean (near Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India)
- The South China Sea, stretching north to the coasts of Fujian and Shandong in China
- The Strait of Taiwan
- The Indoaustralian Archipelago (a group of islands)
- The northern coast of Australia (in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia)
- The Philippines (including Panay Island)
- The Pacific Ocean (near Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, and New Guinea)
How Scientists Study Shaw's Sea Snake
Originally, scientists thought there were two different species of Hydrophis: Hydrophis curtus and Hydrophis hardwickii. But in 1990, researchers looked at over 1,400 snake samples from different places. They studied how the snakes looked and decided that they were most likely just one species.
Following the rules for naming species, the name Hydrophis curtus was used because it was described first in 1802. Later studies, using both DNA and physical features, confirmed that it is indeed a single species.
However, a study in 2014 found that populations of these snakes in different areas are quite separate genetically. This suggests there might be different groups within the species, especially between those in the Indian Ocean and those in the West Pacific. There might even be "cryptic taxa," which means hidden species that look very similar but are genetically different.
How Shaw's Sea Snake Senses the World
These sea snakes have special tiny structures called corpuscles (or scale sensillae) on the front of their heads. Scientists believe these might act like a "hydrodynamic receptor." This means they can sense movement in the water.
A study measured the brain activity of Hydrophis curtus and found that they are sensitive to small water movements, especially at low frequencies (100–150 Hz). Being able to sense water motion is very helpful for finding food, avoiding predators, or even locating other snakes for mating. Other aquatic animals also have similar abilities, like the lateral line system in fish or the whiskers of harbour seals.
