Astrotia Fischer

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 : 4

Astrotia Fischer

Astrotia stokesii (Gray) : ( Kharin, 1984b; Zhao & Adler, 1993, 2006; Nguyên et al., 2009).

Diagnostic characters: Ventrals divided into pairs of foliform scales, except on throat. Body stout, covered with strongly imbricate scales. Scale rows around neck 37–47; scale rows around body 46–63; ventrals 226–286. Maxillary teeth behind fangs 6–7. Colouration: Highly variable; body ranging from brown to more creamy-white above, pale brown or whitish below. Sometimes has 24–36 dark or black bands above, each tapering to a point laterally. Some specimens have spots in between the bands, laterally as well as ventrally. Size: 179 cm. General distribution: Indo-Malayan Archipelago, South China Sea, Philippines, Indonesia and tropical waters of Australia ( David & Ineich, 1999). Remarks: The most massive sea snake, along with Aipysurus laevis from the Australian region.