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Laticauda colubrina
Basic stats
Venom
Venomous (highly venomous elapid — treat any bite as a medical emergency)
Diet
Eels
Habitat
Coral and rocky reef, coming ashore to lay eggs
Range
Coastal waters and coasts around Borneo, Indo-Pacific
Clutch size
3–8 eggs (laid on land, typical for sea kraits)
Incubation period
About 4–6 months (typical for sea kraits)
Size
Medium (up to 1.4m)
Weight
~0.5–1kg
A true sea krait (genus Laticauda), distinct from the fully marine Hydrophis sea snakes — sea kraits are amphibious, coming ashore on rocky or sandy coasts to lay eggs, bask and even mate, with wider belly scales adapted for crawling on land.
Black-and-blue banded with a pale yellow snout, hunting eels among coral and rocky reef. Highly venomous but exceptionally docile and reluctant to bite even when handled by researchers, though it should never be deliberately approached or touched.
