Native Animals
 

Laticauda colubrina

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait
LC
Least Concern
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
ver 3.1, 2010
QR Code
SSN 21174
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Taxonomy

The taxonomic status is pending for approval

Description

Laticauda colubrina or yellow-lipped sea krait is a venomous snake usually found in cracks of cliffs and under rocks on the shores of small islands.  The yellow-lipped sea krait is called so because it has yellow lips and its head is marked black and yellow with the yellow markings extending from the snout to a line between its eyes and has creamy or grey snout and labials. Above, it is light or dark bluish-grey with 24-26 uniformly wide, black bands encircling its body with 3-5 more on its paddle-like tail that is used for swimming. The ventral surface (its belly) is yellowish between the black bands. This krait can grow to about 1.3 – 1.6 m in length and adult females are usually larger than adult males and prefer hunting in deeper water for a single larger prey while the adult males prefer hunting in shallower water for multiple smaller preys. It will then return to land in order to digest its prey which includes moray eels and small fishes. This krait is oviparous making it the only sea snake that lay eggs and comes ashore to breed.

Habits

  Part Habit
 
Oviparous   —   Reproduction through production of eggs that have membranes and/or shells.
 
Terrestrial   —   An animal that lives on/near the ground or a plant that grows on/in/from land
 
Venomous   —   Capable of injecting venom by means of a bite or sting.

Habitats

No Description Suitability Seasonality
1
Artificial - Aquatic → Mariculture Cages
Suitable Unknown
2
Artificial - Aquatic → Marine Anthropogenic Structures
Suitable Unknown
3
Marine Coastal/Supratidal → Coastal Caves/Karst
Suitable Unknown
4
Marine Coastal/Supratidal → Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands
Suitable Unknown
5
Marine Intertidal → Mangrove Submerged Roots
Suitable Unknown
6
Marine Intertidal → Rocky Shoreline
Suitable Unknown
7
Marine Intertidal → Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, etc.
Suitable Unknown
8
Marine Neritic → Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs
Suitable Unknown
References : http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/habitats-classification-scheme-ver3

Assessment

Year Published Assessment Red List Category Version
2010 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Least Concern (LC)
3.1

Specimen

Collection Center   Total
4

Biodiversity Experts

Profile
Amirrudin Bin Ahmad (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
  • Amphibians
  • Dragonflies and Damselflies
  • Fishes
  • Reptiles
  • Biodiversity
  • Data Analysis
  • Digital Sequence Information (DSI)
  • Living Modified Organism (LMO)
  • Marine & Coastal
  • Protected Areas
  • Invasive Alien Species
  • PM
Chen Pelf Nyok (Dr.)
Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS)
  • Turtle, Tortoise, and Terrapin (Ecology)
  • Reptiles (Ecology)
  • Biodiversity
  • Conservation
  • Education
  • Environment
  • PM
Kaviarasu Munian (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
  • Reptiles (Ecology)
  • Amphibians (Ecology)
  • Fishes (Ecology)
  • PM
Lim Boo Liat (Dr.)
  • Reptiles (Ecology)
  • Rodents (Ecology)
  • Amphibians (Ecology)
  • Biodiversity
  • Ecosystems
  • Invasive Alien Species
Mohammad Shahfiz Azman (Mr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
  • Amphibians
  • Mammals
  • Birds
  • Amphibians
  • Reptiles
  • Awareness
  • Biodiversity
  • Conservation
  • Ecosystems
  • Environment
  • Forest
  • Landscape
  • Law and Policy
  • Management
  • Protected Areas
  • Science
  • Systematics
  • Invasive Alien Species
  • Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC)
  • National Policy on Biological Diversity
  • Policy
  • Research and Development (R&D)
  • Zoonotic
  • PM
  • SBH
  • SWK
  • SEA
Mohd Abdul Muin Bin Md Akil (Mr.)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
  • Amphibians
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Snakes
  • Biodiversity
  • Conservation
  • Evolution
  • Genetics
  • Molecular
  • Protected Areas
  • Climate Change
  • Invasive Alien Species
Teo Eng Wah (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
  • Reptiles
  • Amphibians
  • Invasive Alien Species
PM - Peninsular Malaysia; SBH - Sabah; SWK - Sarawak; SEA - Southeast Asia; W - World;

References

Article
  1. Lim, B.L. & Balasingam, E. (1969). A Collection of Sea Snakes from Port Swettenham, Selangor and Tumpat, Kelantan. Reprint from Federation Museums Journal 14, 123-126 — [ Adobe PDF (PDF) ]
Book
  1. Guidelines for the Management of Snakebites, 2nd edition, 2016. WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India. pp. 206.
  2. Malaysian Naturalist, Volume 74, Issue/No. 4, 2021. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. pp. 311.
  3. Cox, M.J., Van Dijk, P.P., Nabhitabhata, J. & Kumthorn, T. (2010). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore & Thailand. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. pp. 144.
  4. Das, I. (2010). A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers (UK), England. pp. 369.
  5. Das, I. (2012). A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of South-east Asia : Including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. John Beaufoy Publishing, Oxford, England. pp. 70-71; 160 pg.
Chapter in book
  1. Das, I. & Norsham, S.Y. (2007). Status of Knowledge of The Malaysia Herpetofauna. In Chua, L.S.L., Kirton, L.G. & Saw, L.G. (Eds.), Status of Biological Diversity in Malaysia and Threat Assessment of Plant Species in Malaysia: Proceedings of the Seminar and Workshop, 28-30 June 2005. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). pp. 31-81.

Acknowledgements :- Ms. Aida Salihah Binti Abu Bakar, Ms. Ajla Rafidah Baharom, Mrs. Aziemah Binti Kinan, Ms. Fatin Farisha Binti Mohd Jamil, Ms. Mira Farzana Binti Mohamad Mokhtar, Ms. Noor Amira Aini Binti Noor Anwar, Mr. Tan Kok Kiat & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin

Species Citation :- Laticauda colubrina. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Accessed via https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/21174. [Retrieved 08 December 2023].

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