Katuali

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Katuali
Sea Snake Niue.jpg
Laticauda schystorhyncha in Niue
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Laticauda
Species:
L. schistorhyncha
Binomial name
Laticauda schistorhyncha
(Günther, 1874)
Synonyms[2]
  • Platurus schistorhynchus
    Günther, 1874
  • Laticauda semifasciata schistorhynchus
    — , 1994
  • Laticauda schistorhyncha
    — , 1994
  • Pseudolaticauda schistorhynchus
    — Kharin, 2005
  • Laticauda schistorhyncha
    — et al., 2017

The katuali or flat-tail sea snake (Laticauda schistorhyncha) is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae. The species is found only in the waters of the Pacific Islands nation of Niue.

Description[]

L. schistorhyncha grows to a total length (including tail) of up to 1 m (3.3 ft), and is highly venomous, making it one of the most potentially dangerous creatures on the planet. It has a fin-like tail, helping it to swim better.[3][4]

Habitat[]

The katuali lives most of its adult life in the sea.

Reproduction[]

During mating, the male katuali wraps itself around the female until she is fertilized. Because the eggs would not survive in water, the female swims into a sea cave to lay the eggs in dry crevices. These eggs take six months to hatch, and then the infant snakes make their way to the ocean.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Lane A, Guinea M (2010). "Laticauda schistorhynchus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T176740A7294814. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176740A7294814.en.
  2. ^ "Laticauda schistorhyncha ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Homepage Archived 2006-11-18 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ fondoc b
  5. ^ Gunton M (producer) (2009). Life. United Kingdom: BBC.

Further reading[]

  • Günther A (1874). "A Contribution to the Fauna of Savage Island". Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1874: 295-297 + Plate XLV. (Platurus schistorhynchus, new species, p. 297 + Plate XLV, figure B).
  • Heatwole, Harold; Grech, Alana; Marsh, Helene (2017). "Paleoclimatology, Paleogeography, and the Evolution and Distribution of Sea Kraits (Serpentes; Elapidae; Laticauda)". Herpetological Monographs 31 (1): 1–17.
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