sea snake

[Jeannine]

i have a friend who lives on Bribie Island and today while walking on the beach near her she found this snake and took some photos

can anyone identify it for her please?

thank you

 

[Icarus]

possibly Aipysurus eydouxii?

 

[Bushman]

Stokes' Sea Snake (Astrotia stokesii).
Was it alive?

 

[Jeannine]

Icarus and Bushman thank you so much, ill send her that information

Bushman im not sure and i dont think she would have gotten too close but i will ask

 

[Bushman]

My pleasure Jeannine. Happy to help.

 

[Jeannine]

ok got an answer back from her, firstly would the 'lives in all waters of tropical Australia.' cover Bribie?
I am pretty sure it was dead and washed up on shore. It wasn't there when we walked past the first time. Didn't see it move, but then, didn't get overly close to it either.

 

[Justdragons]

wow, ive never seen a real sea snake. thats great.

 

[bellany]

my hubby found a dull greyish sea snake washed up on shore at north straddie one year and when he took it to the local ranger in a bucket the guy said '@#)%&*$#)@#*&)_) @#$*)&%()$%*&@#) and its still alive. Apparently it was a deadly sea snake that tends to wash itself up on beaches, wait till it dries out then with the next tide gets washed back in and toddles off on its way again. ' Not sure about it, it looked pretty freakin dead to us, and we've had snakes for years and years, but it wasnt there when we went back to check on it, not to discount that a bird may have got it but hey if im gonna have a sea snake on my lap in a tiny *** bucket I'm gonna make sure its in pieces next time or its goin in the back tray just in freakin case !

 

[Bushman]

ok got an answer back from her, firstly would the 'lives in all waters of tropical Australia.' cover Bribie?
I am pretty sure it was dead and washed up on shore. It wasn't there when we walked past the first time. Didn't see it move, but then, didn't get overly close to it either.

What reference are you quoting from?
Bribie Island has a sub-tropical climate, so the waters around it are probably considered sub-tropical as well.
[Edit:after correction from Eipper] This species is also found in sub-tropical and possibly even temperate waters, as they're found as far south as the Central Coast of NSW.

By the way, the sea snakes that are occasionally found ashore have probably been cast up by waves and are generally relatively helpless and essentially immobile. In future if your friend would be so kind as to help any such hapless sea snakes back into the water gently with a long stick, it will probably help the stranded animal if it's still alive.

 

[eipper]

Hi all,

I am not sure on the species but it looks more like a Disteria than a Stoke's to me but from those pics good luck. Bushman while I generally agree with your comments re sea snakes there are two species that are found in fresh water (Enhydris and a laticauda). I suspect some of the brackish specialists may also use freshwater on occasion as well.

Cheers
Scott

 

[Jeannine]

i just googled the name you put in here bushman and it mentioned 'lives in all waters of tropical Australia' in the distribution comments

i agree with you bellany

your welcome justdragons

 

[Bushman]

i just googled the name you put in here bushman and it mentioned 'lives in all waters of tropical Australia' in the distribution comments...

Ah! Wikipedia I assume. It actually has a pretty good account for this species and goes on to mention the close taxonomic relationship with Scott's educated guess of Disteria.

It is currently the only member in the monotypic Astrotia genus. In 1972, McDowell resurrected the genus Disteira and merged Astrotia into it, although Stokesii lacks the Oxyuranus pattern of venom gland muscle which typifies Disteira, and differs from others in that genus by number of body vertebrae and heart position. Cogger later refused to recognize the placement of Stokesii into Disteira.*

*Roger S. Thorpe, Wolfgang Wüster, Anita Malhotra (1997), Venomous Snakes: Ecology, Evolution, and Snakebite, Oxford University Press, pp. 15–21, ISBN 0198549865, 9780198549864

 

[Jeannine]

yep Wikipedia, i googled it for her after you gave me a name and sent her a link, when you google the images her's shows up because i have posted it on here lol, she was surprised to see it :lol:

thanks for that bit of extra information

 

[eipper]

I should of explain why I think it is a Disteira as opposed to a Stoke's. From the Stoke's I have seen the head shape is much more distinct than in D. major or D. kingii. Most of hydrophis sp ( which is generic composite anyway) have heads that are gracile as opposed to the slightly distinct head of the snake in the photo. Without a clear shot of the head I doubt that the snake can be identified conclusively by anyone.

Cheers,
Scott

 

[DomoKu]

Safe swimming with the sea snake at Indian Head​

 

[Jeannine]

wow thats a long sea snake domoKu

 

[Bushman]

My pleasure Jeannine. Can you get your hands on the full-sized photograph for us to examine?
As Scott quite rightly mentions, if we could get a better look at the head it may be your best chance of getting a positive ID on which species it is.

Thanks for elaborating on why you think it looks more like a Disteira as opposed to a Stoke's Scott. I also appreciate being corrected in my previous post. I didn't know that some sea snakes frequent freshwater . Live and learn.

 

[Jeannine]

hi bushman i can ask her to email me her intact copy then crop it myself so its pretty much just the head and then ill post it in here

 

[Bushman]

That will certainly help. I look forward to seeing the close-up.