Sea Snake. Beaked sea snake, Enhydrina schistosa. Sea snakes are related to land snakes but have adapted to a marine existence, including a paddle- li

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Sea Snake. Beaked sea snake, Enhydrina schistosa. Sea snakes are related to land snakes but have adapted to a marine existence, including a paddle- like tail, flattened body and nostrils which can be closed. The subfamily Hydrophiinae, to which E. schistosa belongs, are helpless on land and even give birth to live young. Being reptiles, sea snakes must still surface to breathe, but can hold their breath for up to an hour. Sea snakes generally feed on fish, injecting a paralysing poison with their fangs before swallowing the helpless prey whole. The beaked sea snake is aggressive and has attacked humans. Photographed on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

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Size: 4799px × 3808px
Photo credit: © DR GEORGE GORNACZ/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, beaked, enhydrina, nature, reptile, reptilia, schistosa, sea, sna, snake, type, venomous, wildlife, zoology