Spectacled sea snake

Spectacled sea snake
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Elapidae
Genus:	Hydrophis
Species:	H. kingii
Binomial name
	Hydrophis kingii; Boulenger, 1896
Synonyms
	Disteira kingii (Boulenger, 1896)

The spectacled sea snake (Hydrophis kingii), also known commonly as King's sea snake, is species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.^[1]^[2] The species is native to waters off northern Australia and the southern coast of New Guinea.^[1]^[3]

Etymology

The specific name, kingii, is in honor of Australian marine surveyor Philip Parker King.^[4]

Description

H. kingii usually attains a total length (including tail) of not more than 1.9 m (6.2 ft). The head is black, and a there is a white ring around the eye. The anterior chin shields are in contact with the mental groove. The dorsal scales are keeled, and overlapping.^[5]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of H. kingii is marine waters, to a depth of 22 m (72 ft), with a muddy or sandy bottom.^[1]

Diet

H. kingii preys upon small fishes.^[1]

Reproduction

H. kingii is ovoviviparous.^[2]

Venom

H. kingii is dangerously venomous.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Milton, D.; Courtney, T.; Guinea, M.; Lukoschek, V.; Fletcher, E. (2010). "Hydrophis kingii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T176761A7299189. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176761A7299189.en. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hydrophis kingii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 February 2022.
^ "Species Hydrophis kingii (Boulenger, 1896)". Australian Faunal Directory. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Disteira kingii, p. 141).
^ ^a ^b Wilson S, Swan G (2023). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Sixth Edition. Sydney: Reed New Holland Publishers. 688 pp. ISBN 978-1-92554-671-2. (Hydrophis kingii, pp. 656–657).

Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I–XXV. (Hydrophis kingii, new species, pp. 276–277).
Cogger HG (2018). Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia, Updated Seventh Edition. Clayton South, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxxii + 1,060 pp. ISBN 978-1486309696. (Hydrophis kingii, p. 962).
Smith M (1926). Monograph of the Sea-Snakes (Hydrophiidæ). London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xx + 130 pp. + Plates I–II. ("Hydrophis kingi [sic]", pp. 46–47).

This Elapidae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[IUCN-1] Milton, D.; Courtney, T.; Guinea, M.; Lukoschek, V.; Fletcher, E. (2010). "Hydrophis kingii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T176761A7299189. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176761A7299189.en. Retrieved 23 February 2022.

[RDB-2] Hydrophis kingii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 February 2022.

[3] "Species Hydrophis kingii (Boulenger, 1896)". Australian Faunal Directory. Retrieved 23 February 2022.

[4] Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Disteira kingii, p. 141).

[WilSwan2023-5] Wilson S, Swan G (2023). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Sixth Edition. Sydney: Reed New Holland Publishers. 688 pp. ISBN 978-1-92554-671-2. (Hydrophis kingii, pp. 656–657).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]