Pelamis Daudin

Rasmussen, Arne Redsted, Elmberg, Johan, Gravlund, Peter & Ineich, Ivan, 2011, Sea snakes (Serpentes: subfamilies Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae) in Vietnam: a comprehensive checklist and an updated identification key, Zootaxa 2894, pp. 1-20 : 9

Pelamis Daudin

Pelamis platura (Linnaeus) : ( Smith, 1926; Bourret, 1934, 1936; Shuntov, 1962; Pickwell, 1972; Harding & Welch, 1980; Kharin, 1984b; Golay et al., 1993; Tran & Nguyên, 1995; Nguyên & Hó, 1996; Dotsenko, 1999; Nguyên et al., 2005; Kharin, 2006; Nguyên et al., 2009).

Diagnostic characters: Scale rows around body 49–67; ventrals 264–406 or broken up and similar to adjacent scales. Maxillary teeth behind fangs 7–11. Colouration: Unique among sea snakes but great variation body black above, yellow below. These colours meet distinctly laterally, but the exact level varies. Posteriorly (mostly on tail) the black and yellow colours are broken up to form spots or even irregular hour-glass-shaped transverse bands. Size: 88 cm. General distribution: The Indian Ocean and the Pacific ( Ineich, 1988; David & Ineich, 1999; Kharin, 2007). Remarks: Pelamis platura is the most widely distributed species of all snakes and it is pelagic ( Hecht et al., 1974).