Common Seasnake

Common Seasnake

Hydrophis schistosus

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Mumbai

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

40 Verified sightings at Mumbai
December Best month

About the Common Seasnake

Hydrophis schistosus, commonly known as the beaked sea snake, hook-nosed sea snake, common sea snake, or the Valakadeyan sea snake, is a highly venomous species of sea snake common throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. This species is implicated in more than 50% of all bites caused by sea snakes, as well as the majority of envenomings and fatalities.

The rostral scale is longer than broad, and is in contact with four shields; frontal more long than broad, shorter than the parietals; nasals in contact with the two anterior labials; sometimes partially divided; one pre- and one or two postoculars; temporals l–3; seven or eight upper labials, fourth or third and fourth entering the eye, the last sometimes divided; anterior chin-shields rather indistinct, separated. Scales with a tubercle or keel, in 50–70 rows; ventrals 230–314, slightly enlarged. The snake is usually uniformly dark grey above; sides and lower parts whitish. Young specimens olive or grey with black transverse bands, broadest in the middle. Length of head and body 1110 mm; tail 190 mm.

The name Vala Kadiyan is from the Tamil word and valakadyn in Malayalam meaning net biter. It is found... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Mumbai 🇮🇳 India
~20%
2 Chennai 🇮🇳 India
~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Snake Farm of Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute 🇹🇭 Thailand In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Common Seasnake in Mumbai?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Seasnake sighting in Mumbai on a given day, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 5th most-seen of the 23 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Common Seasnake in Mumbai?

December

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Seasnake in Mumbai on a given day, against under 5% in May to July, the lowest months. That is one of Mumbai's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain against 830 mm in July.

Is Mumbai the best place to see a Common Seasnake?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Common Seasnake sightings, Mumbai has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Chennai (India, about 10%).

Where does the Common Seasnake sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Common Seasnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Mumbai (40 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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