Elapidae
Dwarf Sea Snake
VenomousHydrophis caerulescens
The Dwarf Sea Snake (Hydrophis caerulescens) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 15 countries.
If you are bitten
This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Family
- Elapidae
- Danger
- high
About the Dwarf Sea Snake
Hydrophis caerulescens, commonly known as the dwarf sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.
Geographic range
Indian Ocean (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, W Indonesia, Malaysia), Coasts of Shandong and Guangdong (China), South China Sea, Australia (Queensland), New Caledonia/Loyalty Islands.
Description
The dwarf sea snake is bluish or grayish blue dorsally, merging to yellowish ventrally, with 35–58 deep bluish-black crossbands. The crossbands are as wide or wider than the interspaces, well defined in younger specimens, but obscure in older specimens. The head is black, and in juveniles may also have a yellowish horseshoe-shaped mark.
Adults may attain a total length of 74 cm (2 ft 5 in).
The dorsal scales are arranged in 38–54 rows at midbody (31–43 rows on the neck). Ventrals 253–334.
Each hollow poison fang is followed by a series of 14–18 solid maxillary teeth. The dorsal scales on the thickest part of the body are quadrangular or hexagonal in shape, feebly imbricate (overlapping) or juxtaposed. The ventrals are almost twice as large as the adjacent body scales.
Head very small. Anterior part of body very slender, its diameter about one third the diameter of the posterior part. Rostral broader than deep. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than its distance from the rostral, much shorter than the parietals. One preocular, and one post ocular. Two superposed anterior temporals. Seven upper labials, the third and fourth entering the eye. Chin shields very small, the posterior pair separated by scales. Ventrals distinct throughout the entire body length.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Dwarf Sea Snake
- Is the Dwarf Sea Snake venomous?
- Yes. The Dwarf Sea Snake (Hydrophis caerulescens) is venomous and belongs to the Elapidae family (cobra, mamba, coral or sea snake). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Dwarf Sea Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Dwarf Sea Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Dwarf Sea Snake dangerous?
- This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Where does the Dwarf Sea Snake live?
- The Dwarf Sea Snake has verified records in 15 countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, India. See the distribution section below for its full range.
If you are bitten by the Dwarf Sea Snake
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
More Elapidae snakes
Yellow-bellied Sea SnakeHydrophis platurus
Olive-headed Sea SnakeHydrophis major
Beaked Sea SnakeHydrophis schistosus
Elegant Sea SnakeHydrophis elegans
Slender-necked Sea SnakeHydrophis coggeri
Spine-bellied Sea SnakeHydrophis curtus
Horned Sea SnakeHydrophis peronii
Persian Gulf Sea SnakeHydrophis lapemoides
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.