Emydocephalus

Emydocephalus is a genus of sea snakes, also known as turtle-headed sea snakes, in the family Elapidae. The genus is one of a small group of the viviparous sea snakes (Hydrophiinae: Hydrophiini) with Aipysurus. Unlike most sea snakes, all species of Emydocephalus, have an absence of teeth on their dentary and palatine bones, and lack venom, making them the only non-venomous elapids. The dentary and palantine bones bear only a row of papillae. Emydocephalus does, however, bear fangs and many small pterygoid teeth.[2] This reduced dentition is due to their diet consisting almost entirely of fish eggs.

Emydocephalus
Emydocephalus ijimae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Subfamily: Hydrophiinae
Genus: Emydocephalus
Krefft, 1869 [1]
Species

Three recognized species, see article.

Etymology

The generic name, Emydocephalus, is from the Greek words ὲμύς (emys) meaning "turtle", and κεφαλή (kephale) meaning "head".[3]

Geographic range

Species of the genus Emydocephalus are found in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australasia.[4]

Species

Emydocephalus has three recognized species.

References
  1. "Emydocephalus ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
  2. Voris K., Harold (1966). "Fish Eggs as the Apparent Sole Food Item for a Genus of Sea Snake, Emydocephalus (Krefft)". The Ecological Society of America. 47 (1): 152–154. doi:10.2307/1935755. JSTOR 1935755 – via Wiley.
  3. Stejneger L (1907). Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territory. United States National Museum Bulletin 58. Washington, District of Columbia: Smithsonian Institution. xx + 577 pp. (Genus Emydocephalus, p. 413).
  4. Genus Emydocephalus at The Reptile Database
  5. Nankivell, James H.; Goiran, Claire; Hourston, Mathew; Shine, Richard; Rasmussen, Arne R.; Thomson, Vicki A.; Sanders, Kate L. (2020-03-27). "A new species of turtle-headed sea Snake ( Emydocephalus : Elapidae) endemic to Western Australia". Zootaxa. 4758 (1): 141–156. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4758.1.6. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 32230158. S2CID 214750958.

Further reading
  • Goin CJ, Goin OB, Zug GR (1978). Introduction to Herpetology, Third Edition. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman. xi + 378 pp. ISBN 0-7167-0020-4. (Genus Emydocephalus, p. 332).
  • Krefft G (1869). The Snakes of Australia; An Illustrative and Descriptive Catalogue of All the Known Species. Sydney: Thomas Richards, Government Printer. xxv + 100 pp. + Plates I-XII. (Emydocephalus, new genus, p. 92).
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