. Dangerous marine animals. Marine animals. MARINE ANIMALS THAT STING 95 Habits of Sea Snakes. Sea snakes are primarily inhabitants of the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. With the exception of a single freshwater species, Hydrophis semperi Garman, which is found in the freshwater Lake Taal, Luzon, Philippine Islands, all are marine. Sea snakes are characteristically residents of sheltered coastal waters and are particularly fond of river mouths. However, some species of sea snakes have been observed from 100-150 miles from land. Pelamis platurus Linnaeus is the most widely distrib- uted hy
. Dangerous marine animals. Marine animals. MARINE ANIMALS THAT STING 95 Habits of Sea Snakes. Sea snakes are primarily inhabitants of the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. With the exception of a single freshwater species, Hydrophis semperi Garman, which is found in the freshwater Lake Taal, Luzon, Philippine Islands, all are marine. Sea snakes are characteristically residents of sheltered coastal waters and are particularly fond of river mouths. However, some species of sea snakes have been observed from 100-150 miles from land. Pelamis platurus Linnaeus is the most widely distrib- uted hydrophid species. Members of the genus Laticauda are said to be semi-terrestrial, and never venture far from the tide to which they return to feed. Sea snakes may sometimes appear swimming together, or breaking at the surface, in large Fig. 59. Skull and fangs of the sea snake, Pelamis platurus. Note the venom gland, which is located just below the eye, emptying into the two anterior fangs. With their compressed, oarlike tails, sea snakes are well adapted for locomotion in their marine environment. Instead of the imbri- cate position of the scales, such as is found in terrestrial snakes, most of the scales of hydrophids are juxtaposed and hexagonal in position, which further demonstrates an adaptation to an aquatic existence. Swimming is accomplished by lateral undulatory move- ments of the body. They have a remarkable ability to move back- ward or forward in the water with equal rapidity, but are awkward on land. Sea snakes are able to float on the surface of the ocean for long periods of time. It is reported that sea snakes are able to remain submerged for hours. Sea snakes capture their food underwater, which consists almost entirely of fishes that are swallowed headfirst. A considerable por- tion of time is spent feeding on, or near, the bottom around rocks, in crevices where they capture eels and other small fishes, which they promptly kill with a vigorous bite of
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