Hydrophis inornatus ( Gray, 1849 )

Rasmussen, Arne Redsted, Sanders, Kate Laura, Guinea, Michael L. & Amey, Andrew P., 2014, Sea snakes in Australian waters (Serpentes: subfamilies Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae) - a review with an updated identification key, Zootaxa 3869 (4), pp. 351-371 : 354

Hydrophis inornatus ( Gray, 1849) .

Hydrophis inornatus was described by Gray (1849) who gave the type locality “Indian Ocean” with no further information. The validity of Hydrophis inornatus as a species is doubtful and only the type specimen was recognized by Rasmussen (1989) in this taxon until Kharin and Czeblukov (2005) referred to a specimen collected in Australia (Arafura Sea). However, we have not found any other evidence to support Kharin and Czeblukov’s (2005) claim that it occurs in Australia. We find little similarity between Kharin and Czeblukov’s H. inornatus specimen (TINRO R11) and the type of H. inornatus (BMNH 1946.1.1.27). In particular, the maxillary bone shown in figure 2 of Kharin and Czeblukov (2005) is markedly different from that of the type of H. inornatus (see also Rasmussen, 1989; M. A. Smith, 1926); further the type does not have any spots on its body, unlike the specimen in Kharin and Czeblukov (2005). The specimen shown in Kharin and Czeblukov (2005) more closely resembles H. major in all the morphological characters mentioned, including the number of scale rows around neck and body, ventrals, subcaudals, number of teeth on maxillary bone and body form and colour pattern. Kharin and Czeblukov (2005) also included another specimen from Arafura Sea (NTMR897) mentioned by Cogger (1975) as a possible H. inornatus ; however, this specimen differs in ventral scale count to H. inornatus ( Cogger, 1975) . We therefore include this species neither in the checklist nor in the list of possible Australian sea snakes. Another recent paper published new records for H. inornatus from the Arabian Sea ( Kharin & Dotsenko, 2012); however, based on photos included by the authors these specimens bear little resemblance to either the specimen from Australia or the type specimen, and instead clearly resemble Hydrophis viperinus (Schmidt, 1852) based on the diagnostic characters for this species (large ventral scales in the anterior part of the body) ( Kharin & Dotsenko, 2012 Figures 2 and 3 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Three supralabials, the second is very elongated (left): Emydocephalus annulatus. More than four supralabials (right).

FIGURE 3. No preocular scale, the prefrontal borders the eye (top): Hydrelaps darwiniensis. Preocular scales present (bottom).