reptiles & amphibians

10. Sea Snakes

1

Sea snakes are reptiles and live only in the warm waters of the Pacific

and Indian Oceans

2

They live in shallow water

There are about 50 different kinds and most are from 4 to 10 feet long

3

Some have bodies that get wider toward the tail

Some have tails that look like paddles which help them swim

4

Most sea snakes are dull green or light brown and some have yellow bellies

Yellow-belliedSea Snake

All sea snakes are poisonous and their venom is very strong

5

Sea snakes kill small fish with venom from their fangs

Sea snakes do not usually attack people

6

Sometimes they get caught in fishermen’s nets and they may bite

when being freed from the nets

Most kinds of sea snakes give birth to live young

7

The young are born at sea

A few kinds of sea snakes lay eggs

8

These snakes leave the water when they are going to lay eggs which are usually

laid on coral reefs

Like other water reptiles, sea snakes have lungs, not gills

9

But the nostrils and lungs of sea snakes are different from those of other water

animals

OarfishOften mistaken as

a sea snake

With their nostrils and lungs, sea snakes can take some oxygen directly

out of the water

10

Sea snakes can stay underwater for up to 8 hours