Microcephalophis gracilis (Shaw, 1802)

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

Microcephalophis gracilis (Shaw, 1802)

Common Small-headed Sea Snake

“Kadell nagam” Russel, 1801:15, pl. 13. Hydrus gracilis Shaw, 1802:560 . Microcephalophis gracilis, Smith, 1926:121 , fig. 34. — David and Ineich, 1999:110.— Rasmussen,

Elmberg, Gravlund, and Ineich, 2011:6.— Sanders, Lee, Mumpuni, Bertozzi, and Rasmussen,

2013:584.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:431. Hydrophis gracilis, Leviton, Brown, and Siler, 2014:506 , fig. 19C.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Type locality unknown. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1 .17.37 (formerly BMNH III.4.1.a; fide Smith [1926:123]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION ( Map 26A [p. 137]).— Luzon (Manila Bay).

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Widely distributed from Persian/Arabian Gulf (coastal Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and Oman) east to the Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Thailand, Malaya and Singapore, South China Sea, and Indonesia, to New Guinea (Gulf of Guinea). (See Wallach et al., 2014:431, for details.)

REMARKS.— We have retained this species in the genus Microcephalophis consistent with the treatments of Hydrophis and related nominal genera by Sanders et al. (2013) and Pyron et al. (2013) (see also footnote p. 60 herein).

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