Yellow-bellied Sea snake

August 5, 2023

A rare yellow belly snake was seen on the coast of Digha Bay of Bengal amid huge tides recently.

Scientific name– Pelamis Platurus
The snake is originally from the Arabian Sea and found very rarely in the Bay of Bengal.
Characteristics– The side of the tail is like the paddle of a boat and the lower abdomen is yellow making it different from other reptile species.
It can swim by lateral undulation of the body, and can move both forwards and backwards.
It is a diurnal sea snake and primarily aquatic, living its entire life cycle at sea.
This snake can spend up to 3 hours underwater without surfacing.
It can uptake up to 33% of its oxygen requirements through the skin while diving and swimming at the surface of the water.
They are carnivores (piscivores) and eat only fish.
It is a highly venomous species of snake.
IUCN Red List status- Least Concern