Is the Faint-banded Sea Snake venomous?

Yes. The Faint-banded Sea Snake (Hydrophis belcheri) 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 Faint-banded Sea Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Faint-banded Sea Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.

Elapidae

Faint-banded Sea Snake

Venomous

Hydrophis belcheri

The Faint-banded Sea Snake (Hydrophis belcheri) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family.

If you are bitten

This is a venomous sea snake. Bites are rare and it is placid, but its venom is potent — treat any bite as a medical emergency: keep the person still and call your local emergency number or poison center immediately. Do not cut, suck, or apply a tourniquet.

Family: Elapidae
Danger: high

About the Faint-banded Sea Snake

The Faint-banded Sea Snake belongs to the Elapidae family, cobras, mambas, coral & sea snakes. Front-fanged venomous snakes, many with potent neurotoxic venom.

Elapids carry short, fixed fangs at the front of the mouth and include many of the planet's deadliest snakes: cobras, mambas, kraits, coral snakes, taipans, death adders, and the fully marine sea snakes. Most are slender and fast, and their venom is largely neurotoxic, attacking the nervous system and, in serious bites, breathing.

Its genus, Hydrophis, covers sea snakes. Hydrophis is the largest genus of sea snakes, a group of fully marine elapids built for a life spent in the open ocean. They are relatives of cobras, carry potent neurotoxic venom, and almost never trouble people who leave them alone.

The Faint-banded Sea Snake is venomous. Treat any bite as a medical emergency, do not try to handle or capture the snake, and get professional medical care right away.

Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.

Frequently asked: Faint-banded Sea Snake

Is the Faint-banded Sea Snake venomous?: Yes. The Faint-banded Sea Snake (Hydrophis belcheri) 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 Faint-banded Sea Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Faint-banded Sea Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
Is the Faint-banded Sea Snake dangerous?: This is a venomous sea snake. Bites are rare and it is placid, but its venom is potent — treat any bite as a medical emergency: keep the person still and call your local emergency number or poison center immediately. Do not cut, suck, or apply a tourniquet.

If you are bitten by the Faint-banded Sea Snake

A venomous snakebite is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number immediately. In the US, dial 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

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.

More Elapidae snakes

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards: Squamata
FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits: Elapidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Hydrophis
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Hydrophis belcheri

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.