Hydrophis semperi
| Hydrophis semperi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Hydrophis |
| Species: | H. semperi |
| Binomial name | |
|
Hydrophis semperi Garman, 1881 |
|
| Synonyms | |
Hydrophis semperi, commonly known as Garman's sea snake, the Lake Taal snake, or the Philippine freshwater sea snake, is a rare species of venomous sea snake found only in a single lake on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is noted for being one of two known species of sea snakes (and the only one in its family) that is known to be found almost-exclusively in freshwater. The other freshwater sea snake species is Laticauda crockeri.
The specific name, semperi, is in honor of German zoologist Carl Gottfried Semper.
H. semperi is usually classified in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae, although in some classification schemes, it and the rest of the "true" sea snakes are instead grouped in the family Hydrophiidae.
Like all "true" sea snakes, it is a rather heavyset snake, elongated with a small head. It possesses the characteristic flattened, paddle-like tail found in the members of its subfamily. This particular species is considered short in comparison to the rest of the family; adult specimens of H. semperi that have been caught were in the realm of 50 cm to 70 cm in length. The snake is colored much like a typical sea snake, having a dark blue or black body with alternating yellow (sometimes white) bands encircling its body. Like its close relatives, its nostrils are located almost dorsally, with valves that prevent water from entering its nasal (and oral) cavities when the snake is submerged.
This snake is known to be found only in the waters of Lake Taal (formerly known as Lake Bombon) in the province of Batangas in the Philippines. The only freshwater sea snake in the country, it lives the entirety of its life within the confines of the lake, feeding and breeding in its slightly acidic waters. The lake itself is a volcanic crater lake, which was formerly saltwater but gradually lost its salinity after the lake was closed off from the sea by an eruption in the 16th century. It is this unique aspect of the lake's formation and history that led to the evolution of several once-saltwater species, including H. semperi. Thus, this species is relatively young, having been accustomed to freshwater for less than a millennium.
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Wikipedia