faint-banded sea snake, Belcher's sea snake (Hydrophis belcheri) Description
English: A typical sea snake, Hydrophis belcheri. Note the flattened tail as an adaptation to swimming in the open sea. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027373.g005
Date 30 May 2013, 23:35:48
Source Marine Reptiles. PLoS ONE 6(11): e27373. https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0027373
Author Rasmussen AR, Murphy JC, Ompi M, Gibbons JW, Uetz P (2011)
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hydrophis_belcheri_-_journal.pone.0027373.g005.png
Hydrophis belcheri, commonly known as the faint-banded sea snake or Belcher's sea snake, is a venomous species of elapid sea snake. Belcher's sea snake, which many times is mistakenly called the hook-nosed sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa), has been erroneously popularized as the most venomous snake in the world. The most venomous sea snake is actually Dubois' seasnake (Aipysurus duboisii).
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Hydrophis
Species: Hydrophis belcheri (Gray, 1849)
Synonyms:
Aturia belcheri Gray, 1849
Hydrophis belcheri — Günther, 1864
Distira belcheri — Boulenger, 1896
Hydrophis belcheri — Cogger, 1983
Chitulia belcheri — Kharin, 2005[1]