Hydrophis cantoris


Hydrophis cantoris, also known commonly as Cantor's narrow-headed sea snake and Cantor's small-headed sea snake, is a species of venomous sea snake in the family Elapidae.

Etymology

The specific name, cantoris, is in honor of Danish zoologist Theodore Edward Cantor.

Description

H.cantoris has the following diagnostic characters: Head small, body long and slender anteriorly; scales on thickest part of body juxtaposed; 5-6 maxillary teeth behind fangs; 23-25 dorsal scale rows at neck, 41–48 at thickest part of body ; ventrals divided by a longitudinal fissure; prefrontal in contact with third upper labial; ventrals 404–468.
The maximum recorded total length of males is, and of females is. The maximum tail length of males is, and of females is.

Geographic range

Indian Ocean, Andaman Islands.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of H. cantoris is the marine neritic zone, at depths of or less.

Reproduction

H. cantoris is viviparous.