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Hydrophis caerulescens (SHAW, 1802)

IUCN Red List - Hydrophis caerulescens - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaElapidae (Hydrophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
SubspeciesHydrophis caerulescens caerulescens (SHAW 1802)
Hydrophis caerulescens hybridus (SCHLEGEL 1844) 
Common NamesE: Dwarf Seasnake
Chinese: 青灰海蛇 
SynonymHydrus Caerulescens SHAW 1802: 561
Hydrophis caerulescens GRAY 1842
Hydrophis hybrida SCHLEGEL 1844
Hydrophis hybrida — FISCHER 1856: 43
Hydrophis protervus JAN 1859
Hydrophis frontalis JAN 1863
Hydrophis polydonta JAN 1863
Hydrophis caerulescens thai SMITH 1920
Polyodontognathus caerulescens — WALL 1921: 375
Hydrophis caerulescens — SMITH 1943: 463
Hydrophis (Aturia) caerulescens — MCDOWELL 1972: 228
Aturia caerulescens — WELCH 1994: 25
Hydrophis caerulescens — MURPHY, COX & VORIS 1999
Hydrophis caerulescens — COGGER 2000: 714
Polyodontognathus caerulescens — KHARIN 2004
Hydrophis caerulescens — DAVID et al. 2004
Hydrophis caerulescens — NGUYEN et al. 2009
Hydrophis caerulescens — RASMUSSEN et al. 2011
Hydrophis caerulescens — SANDERS et al. 2012
Polyodontognathus caerulescens — WALLACH et al. 2014: 574
Polyodontognathus caerulescens — CHAN-ARD et al. 2015: 279

Hydrophis caerulescens hybridus SCHLEGEL 1844
Hydrophis hybrida SCHLEGEL 1844: 115
Polyodontognathus caerulescens hybridus — KHARIN 2005
Polyodontognathus caerulescens hybridus — KHARIN 2016: 95 
DistributionIndian Ocean (Pakistan, India (Gujarat etc.), Myanmar (= Burma), Thailand, W Indonesia (Borneo), Malaysia, Vietnam, Bangladesh,
Coasts of Shandong and Guangdong (China), South China Sea;
Australia (Queensland), New Caledonia/Loyalty Islands

hybridus: gulfs of Thailand and Tonkin, yellow sea, coastal areas of Java and Kalimantan, Gulf of Carpentaria.

Type locality: Indian Ocean (as East-Indian); however, label on type cites type locality as "Indian Ocean: Vizagapatam” [Andhra Pradesh, India]. See SMITH 1926, Das 2023: 6.  
Reproductionovovivparous 
TypesHolotype: BMNH 1946.1.3.90 M, from Indian Ocean (as East-Indian).
Holotype: RMNH 1492 [hybridus] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (596 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentVenomous!

Synonymy after COGGER 1983.

Distribution: Not listed by BAUER & VINDUM 1990 for New Caledonia/Loyalty Islands. Listed for New Caledonia by BAUER & SADLIER 2000 under “incidental taxa and questionable taxa”.

Type species: Hydrus caerulescens is the type species of the genus Polyodontognathus. Diagnosis of the genus Polyodontognathus in KHARIN 2004.

Habitat: marine. 
EtymologyPresumably named after the Latin caeruleus (sky-blue) plus the incipient suffix -escens, relating to the bluish coloration. (G. Shea, pers. comm., 9 Feb 2024) 
References
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