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Hydrophis curtus

Species of snake From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hydrophis curtus
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Hydrophis curtus, also known as Shaw's Sea Snake, short sea snake, but often includes Hydrophis hardwickii[2] is a species of sea snake. Like most Hydrophiinae sea snakes, it is a viviparous, fully marine, and front fanged elapid that is highly venomous.[3] It is collected for a variety of purposes including human and animal food, for medicinal purposes and for their skin.[4]

Quick Facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...
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Description

This species is characterized by a wide variation in number of ventral scales and degree of parietal scale fragmentation.[2] Both sexes possess spiny scales along their bodies but males have more highly developed spines. This sexual dimorphism in spines may play a role in courtship or in locomotion by reducing drag.[2]

Distribution

It is a widely distributed species and like most sea snakes is restricted to warmer, tropical waters. Its range includes:

  • Persian Gulf (Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Iran)
  • Indian Ocean (Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India)
  • South China Sea (north to the coasts of Fujian and Shandong)
  • Strait of Taiwan
  • Indo-Australian Archipelago
  • North Coast of Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia)
  • Philippines (Panay)
  • Pacific Ocean (Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, New Guinea)
  • Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Cambodia and Singapore [1]
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Taxonomy

Originally considered to be two species of the genus Hydrophis: Hydrophis curtus and Hydrophis hardwickii. Gritis and Voris (1990) examined the morphological variation of over 1,400 specimens across its geographic range and concluded it is most likely a single species.[2][4] As is convention, the species name reverts to the first description by Shaw in 1802. DNA and morphological analysis restored its phylogenic status as a single species.[5] An analysis of the population in 2014 found strong evidence of deep divergence and genetic isolation across the geographical range, supporting a division of the species to Indian Ocean and West Pacific groups and high likelihood of cryptic taxa within those groups.[6]

Hydrodynamic sense

They have corpuscles (scale sensillae) concentrated on the front of their head which may be a hydrodynamic receptor.[7] A study measuring brain response to water vibration found that L. curtus is sensitive to low amplitude (100–150 Hz) water motions.[8] Sensing water motion is useful in locating prey, predators, or potential mates and has been demonstrated in other aquatic animals (e.g. lateral line in fish, whiskers in harbour seals).[9]

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References

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