Hydrophis annandalei (LAIDLAW, 1901)
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Higher Taxa | Elapidae (Hydrophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Bighead Sea Snake, Annandale’s sea snake |
Synonym | Distira annandalei LAIDLAW 1901: 579 Kolpophis annandalei — SMITH 1926: 106 Kolpophis annandalei — SMITH 1943: 467 Lapemis annandalei — RASMUSSEN 1997: 22 Kolpophis annandalei — RASMUSSEN 1997: 23 Kolpophis annandalei — MURPHY, COX & VORIS 1999 Kolpophis annandalei — DAVID et al. 2004 Kolpophis annandalei — RASMUSSEN et al. 2011 Kolpophis annandalei — WALLACH et al. 2014: 352 Hydrophis annandalei — LEVITON et al. 2014 Hydrophis annandalei — LEE et al. 2016 |
Distribution | Indian Ocean (W Malaysia, S Vietnam, Indonesia: Borneo, Java), Thailand Type locality: Patani Bay, Thailand |
Reproduction | ovovivparous |
Types | Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.17.56 (formerly BMNH 1926.10.18.1), a 500 mm female (N. Annandale, 1899–1900). |
Diagnosis | Diagnostic characters: Head shields irregularly divided. Head large, body stout, covered with small irregular scales. Has very high scale row counts around neck (62–82) and body (4–93). Ventrals 320–368. Maxillary teeth behind fangs 6–. Colouration: Body yellowish with pale grey bands above, much broader than their interspaces, narrowing on sides. With age the colour becomes pale grey above, whitish below and the bands disappear. |
Comment | Venomous! Habitat: marine and freshwater (Rasmussen et al. 2001). Type species: Distira annandalei LAIDLAW 1901: 59 is the type species of the genus Kolpophis SMITH 1926. Distribution: not in Singapore or not established there (Figueroa et al. 2023). |
Etymology | Named after Dr. "Thomas" Nelson Annandale (1876-1924), zoologist and Superintendent of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. |
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