First Record of Laticauda semifasciata (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae: Laticaudinae) from Korea

Abstract

The Chinese sea snake Laticauda semifasciata (Reinwardt in Schlegel, 1837) is newly reported from Korean waters based on three specimens collected from Jeju Island, Korea, in August, September, and November 2015. This is the first time that the genus Laticauda and subfamily Laticaudinae has been reported from Korean waters. The subfamily Laticaudinae has ventrals that are four to five times wider than the adjacent dorsals, which are unlike the ventrals that are similar or up to two times wider than adjacent dorsals in the subfamily Hydrophiinae. Laticauda semifasciata is distinct from other species because it has three prefrontals and its rostrals are horizontally divided into two. As the result of this report, four species (L. semifasciata, Hydrophis (Pelamis) platurus, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, and H. melanocephalus) of sea snakes have been reported in Korean waters.

Keywords

• sea snake
• Hydrophiinae
• Laticaudinae
• Chinese sea snake
• Laticauda semifasciata