Elapidae
Yellow Sea Snake
VenomousHydrophis spiralis
3 photographs of the Yellow Sea Snake. © Marius Burger.
The Yellow Sea Snake (Hydrophis spiralis) is a venomous snake in the Elapidae family, recorded in 17 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 Yellow Sea Snake
Hydrophis spiralis, commonly known as the yellow sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.
Description
This is perhaps the longest species of sea-snake, measuring up to 3.0 metres (9.8 ft); however, most specimens do not exceed 2.0 meters. This marine serpent is cathemeral, i.e., active both by day and night.
Diagnostic characteristics
The scales on the thickest part of the body have rounded or pointed tips and overlap. Six or seven maxillary teeth are found behind the fangs. The species has 25–31 scale rows around its neck, 33–38 around its midbody, and ventrals number 295–362, and are distinct throughout and about twice as broad as adjacent body scales. Its color is yellowish or yellowish-green above; the dorsal scales are edged with black, and 41–46 narrow black bands encircle the body; the bands are usually less than one-third the width of the lighter interspaces. The head, in the young, is black, with a yellow horseshoe-shaped marking; in the adult, the head is usually yellow. Total length in males is about 1.62 metres (5.3 ft), and females 1.83 metres (6.0 ft); tail lengths are 140 millimetres (5.5 in) and 120 millimetres (4.7 in) in males and females respectively.
Geographic range
Hydrophis spiralis is found in the Indian Ocean (Persian Gulf, off the coasts of Oman, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. It is also found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India (incl. Andaman & Nicobar Is.), Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippines, China, New Guinea, New Caledonia/Loyalty Islands, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia and Myanmar. The species has been reported to live in waters as deep as 50m.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Yellow Sea Snake
- Is the Yellow Sea Snake venomous?
- Yes. The Yellow Sea Snake (Hydrophis spiralis) 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 Yellow Sea Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Yellow Sea Snake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Yellow 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 Yellow Sea Snake live?
- The Yellow Sea Snake has verified records in 17 countries, including Thailand, India, Indonesia. See the distribution section below for its full range.
If you are bitten by the Yellow 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.