Reef Shallows Sea Snake
Aipysurus duboisii
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Reptiles
Aipysurus duboisii, also known commonly as Dubois' sea snake and the reef shallows sea snake, is a species of extremely venomous snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. Its geographic range includes Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and the northern, eastern, and western coastal areas of Australia, that is the Coral Sea, Arafura Sea, Timor Sea, and Indian Ocean. It lives to depths of 80 m in coral reef flats, sandy and silty sediments, which contain seaweed, invertebrates and corals or sponges that can serve as shelter. It preys upon moray eels and various fish that live on the seafloor, up to 110 cm in size. A. duboisii is viviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs. It displays medium aggressiveness, i.e., will bite if provoked, but not spontaneously.
Classification
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Elapidae
- Genus
- Aipysurus