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Astrotia stokesii
Basic stats
Venom
Venomous (highly venomous elapid — treat any bite as a medical emergency)
Diet
Fish
Habitat
Coastal and offshore waters
Range
Coastal waters around Borneo, Indo-Pacific
Litter size
Live-bearing, 4–12 young (typical for true sea snakes)
Gestation period
About 6–7 months (typical for true sea snakes)
Size
Large (up to 1.5m)
Weight
~1–2kg
A large, robust, highly venomous sea snake found in coastal and offshore waters, named after the naturalist John Lort Stokes.
Feeds mainly on fish, hunting in open water using a flattened tail for propulsion. Fully marine and essentially helpless on land — never handle any sea snake, regardless of species, given the difficulty of confident field identification.
