Laticaudinae Cope, 1879

Leviton, Alan E., Siler, Cameron D., Weinell, Jeffrey L. & Brown, Rafe M., 2018, Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (14), pp. 399-568 : 468-469

Subfamily Laticaudinae Cope, 1879

Laticauda colubrina ( Schneider, 1799) Photo figure 102 Yellow-lipped sea krait

Hydrus colubrinus Schneider, 1799:238 . Laticauda colubrina, Taylor, 1922a:231 , pl. 29.— Smith, 1926:6; 1943:443.— McCarthy, 1993a:146.— David and Ineich, 1999:123.— Brown, Ferner, Sison, Gonzales, and Kennedy, 1996:14.— Ferner, Brown, Sison, and Kennedy, 2001:54 [21].— Whitaker and Captain, 2004:386, photo (p. 387).— Bucol, Alcala, Averia, Alcala, and Alcala, 2011:112.— Oliveros, Ota, Crombie, and Brown, 2011:16.— Rasmussen et al., 2011:9.— Devan-Song and Brown, 2012:15.— Siler, Swab, Oliveros, Diesmos, Averia, Alcala, and Brown, 2012:456, fig. 23.— Leviton, Brown, and Siler, 2014:513, figs. 16A, 17B, 18B, 48.— Supsup, Puna, Asis, Redoblado, Panaguinit, Guinto, Rico, Diesmos, Brown, and Mallari, 2016:169.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Type locality “Ostindischens Meer” in the ZMB catalog ( Bauer [1998:139] and Wallach et al. [2014:355]). Holotype: ZMB 9078 (fide Smith [1926:8]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION ( Map 19D [p. 130]).— Babuyan Ids. (Babuyan Claro, Barit, Calayan, Dalupiri, Mabag). Bantayan, Bohol, Cebu, Luzon (Manila Bay, Verde Island Passage; [Prov.: Zambales {Subig Bay}]), Maestre de Campo (Romblon Id. group), Mindanao (Prov.: Zamboanga City), Negros (Prov.: Negros Oriental), Panay, Siquijor, Sulu Archipelago (Jolo, Sitanki) .

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Smith (1943:444) states that this species is not commonly met in “Indian and Indo-Chinese waters” though it is not uncommon at Singapore. Minton (1975:26, Table 1) suggests that although rare in the Bay of Bengal, it may not be uncommon along the Myanmar coast and the west coast of the Malayasian Peninsula. Also coastal waters of Thailand, Malaysia, western Indonesia as far east as Polynesia and north along the east Asian coast to southern Japan.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.

Laticauda laticaudata (Linnaeus, 1758) Photo figure 103 Brown-lipped Sea Krait; Black-banded Sea Krait

Coluber laticaudatus Linnaeus, 1758:222 (part). Laticauda laticaudata, Taylor, 1922a:4 .— Smith, 1926:4, fig. 5; 1943:442.— McCarthy, 1993a:146.— David and Ineich, 1999:124.— Oliveros, Ota, Crombie, and Brown, 2011:16.— Rasmussen et al., 2011:9.— Leviton, Brown, and Siler, 2014:514, figs. 17A, 18A, 49.— Supsup, Puna, Asis, Redoblado, Panaguinit, Guinto, Rico, Diesmos, Brown, and Mallari, 2016:170.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— “In Indiis”. Lectotype: NHR Lin-87, designated by Stejneger (1907a:402) (see Wallach et al. [2014:356]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION ( Map 20A [p. 131]).— [coastal waters of the islands of] Babuyan Ids. (Calayan), Bantayan, Gato, Jolo, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro [northern], Samar, Sulu Archipelago (Jolo).

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Smith (1943:443) states that it is “rare in the Oriental region (Calcutta and Little Nicobar Harbour).” On the other hand, Minton (1975:26, table 1) suggests that although rare in the Bay of Bengal, it may not be uncommon along the west coast of the Malayan Peninsula. Also western Indonesia (Sumatra and Java) to Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia, and north along the east coast of Asia to southern Japan. (See Wallach et al., 2014:356 for a summary of its reported distribution.)

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.