General Description

Black to brown with cream to yellow sides. Tail yellow with dark patches. This species is distinguished from eels by the absence of gill openings and the coarse obvious scales. They have paired fangs on the roof of the mouth while eels do not. Length to about 70 cm.

Biology

These snakes are rare visitors to Victoria, travelling in pulses of warm water coming down the east coast from the tropics. They give birth to live young at sea in tropical waters. They are air breathers, so must return to the surface regularly to breathe. This species is one of 33 sea snake species found in Australia, and one of only three sea snakes species recorded from Tasmania.

Habitat

Surface waters, usually found once washed ashore.

Open water

Distribution guide

Indian and Pacific Oceans. Mainly northern Australia. Occasional visitor to Victorian coastal waters, potentially to Port Phillip.

Species Group

Reptiles › Sea snakes

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

Midwater Surface

Max Size

70 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Harmful

Venomous bite, potentially lethal.

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Least Concern