Sea Snakes
Sea Snakes inhabit the Indo-Pacific oceans, and are believed to have evolved from Australian land snakes (which today are still some of the most deadly in the world). Sea snakes are commonly encountered as they come up to the surface, as they are air breathers, and while they are hunting the reefs for prey, by sticking their head in holes, hoping to get lucky and stumble upon an easy meal.
Though there are 70 species of sea snakes, the most common sea snakes are the Banded Sea Snake and the Olive Sea Snake.
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Suborder:
Serpentes
Family:
Hydrophiidae
Behavior and Anatomy
Aggressive only during the mating season in the winter, the sea snake is very curious, and they become fascinated by elongated objects such as high pressure hoses. Otherwise, snakes are often fascinated by their reflection in a divers mask, with some snakes going a step further, and sliding down between the divers body and their BCD….
Sea snakes have specialized flattened tails for swimming and have valves over their nostrils which are closed underwater. They differ from eels in that they don't have gill slits and have scales.
Diet
Sea snakes can swallow a fish that is more than twice the diameter of their neck, and enjoy eating eels, small fish and crustaceans.
Snake Bites
Myths about sea snakes include the mistaken belief that they can't bite strongly; actually their short fangs (2.5-4.5mm) are adequately strong enough to penetrate human skin, and it is said that even a small snake can bite a man's thigh.
Most sea snake bites occur on trawlers, when the snakes are sometimes hauled in with the catch. Only a small proportion of bites are fatal to man, as the snake can control the amount of envenomation, a fact probably accounting for the large number of folk cures said to be 95% effective.
Intense pain is not obvious at the site of the sea snake bite; 30 minutes after the bite there is stiffness, muscle aches and spasm of the jaw followed by moderate to severe pain in the affected limb. There follows progressive CNS symptoms of blurred vision, drowsiness and finally respiratory paralysis. A specific antivenin is available.
Research:
http://homes.jcu.edu.au/~sci-bhl/