Yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platura)

Also known as:	pelagic sea snake
Synonyms:	Pelamis platurus
French:	Serpent Marin Jaune
Spanish:	Serpiente Marina Amarilla

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Family	Hydrophiidae
Genus	Pelamis (1)

Top facts

• The yellow-bellied sea snake is the most widely distributed sea snake species, found in the warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.
• Unlike most other sea snakes, the yellow-bellied sea snake is found in open ocean where it feeds exclusively on fish.
• The female yellow-bellied sea snake is much larger than the male, and can grow up to one metre in length.
• Large groups of yellow-bellied sea snakes are sometimes seen around collections of floating debris in the water.

The yellow-bellied sea snake has not yet been assessed by the IUCN

Information on the yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platura) is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly.

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

1. ITIS (February, 2009)
   http://www.itis.gov/