Featured Member Video
Making a knifeMore Videos by Camp10
View larger or ask the author a question.
Recent Forum Posts 
Come Join the Discussion Today!
Our site has been mentioned in:
U.S. News and World Report
Best of the Web - Site of the Week 8/6/01
Discovery Channel Canada
One Week in the Wilderness
USA Today
Hot Sites 08/08/2005
POISONOUS SEA SNAKES
Laticauda colubrina
Description: Smooth-scaled snake that is a pale shade of blue with black bands. Its oarlike tail provides propulsion in swimming.
Characteristics: Most active at night, swimming close to shore and at times entering tide pools. Its venom is a very strong neurotoxin. Its victims are usually fishermen who untangle these deadly snakes from large fish nets.
Habitat: Common in all oceans, absent in the Atlantic Ocean.
Length: Average 75 centimeters, maximum 1.2 meters.
Distribution: Coastal waters of New Guinea, Pacific islands, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and Japan.
Pelamis platurus
Description: Upper part of body is black or dark brown and lower part is bright yellow.
Characteristics: A highly venomous snake belonging to the cobra family. This snake is truly of the pelagic species--it never leaves the water to come to shore. It has an oarlike tail to aid its swimming. This species is quick to defend itself. Sea snakes do not really strike, but deliberately turn and bite if molested. A small amount of their neurotoxic venom can cause death.
Habitat: Found in all oceans except the Atlantic Ocean.
Length: Average 0.7 meter, maximum 1.1 meters.
Distribution: Throughout the Pacific Ocean from many of the Pacific islands to Hawaii and to the coast of Costa Rica and Panama.
