Atlas species information
Introduction
Detailed species information from your search of the Atlas.- Scientific name:
- Laticauda colubrina
- Common name:
- yellow-lipped sea krait
- Naming authority:
- Schneider, 1799
- Bio status category:
- Indigenous (Non-endemic)
- IUCN threat status:
- Lower Risk: least concern
- NZ threat classification:
- Vagrant
Refer to www.doc.govt.nz/nztcs for NZ threat classification system details.
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yellow-lipped sea krait
Habitat
- In its usual range this species is partly terrestrial, often occurring among rocks near the shore, or in mangrove swamps some distance inland.
- Largely nocturnal.
Description
- Bluish-grey above, yellowish below, with about 35 prominent black bands.
- Head small and blunt.
- Row of broad scales along belly, more than half the width of the body.
- Tail compressed sideways to form a paddle.
Distribution
- India, South-east Asia, New Guinea, Australia and Pacific Islands.
- Rare visitor to New Zealand.
Notes
- First recorded in New Zealand in 1880.
Statistical information and distribution map
| Before 1988 | Since 1988 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Specimen | 4 | 3 |
| Dead Specimen | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 5 | 5 |
Live or dead specimen or shed skin
Bone or fossil
