Laticauda semifasciata

Black-banded Sea Krait

闊帶清斑海蛇

保育等級: 非保育類

劇毒!

家族
蝙蝠蛇科,闊尾海蛇亞科
Elapidae, subfamily Hydrophiidae
最大體長
170 cm
台灣棲地分布
台灣東部沿海,特別是在 蘭嶼墾丁也有些許的分布。
世界棲地分布
中國,台灣,菲律賓,日本(琉球群島),印尼,菲律賓和摩鹿加群島,西太平洋從日本北部到薩摩亞南部。
外觀描述
Medium to large snake; total length up to 170 cm. There are 19-23 (23 at mid-body) rows of smooth and glossy scales. Head is broadly triangular, flattened on top, but not distinct from neck; body is stout or heavy, soft and flabby, and moderately compressed laterally in posterior quarter; tail is laterally compressed, sides with vertically elongated scales. The ventrals are medium size, which is one-third to more than half the width of body. Eye is medium-sized; iris is dark brown to black and pupil is round, black, indistinct. Tongue is red to purple, with outer half of fork tips white. Fangs are medium size, rigid, in anterior part of upper jaw. There are 2 rostrals, 3 prefrontals, and no loreals. Upper head is brown to olive black, frequently tinged with blue, and usually with a broad band of lighter color across head anterior to eyes. Some individuals also have a lighter band across posterior part and extending down side of head, connected with narrow band directed posteriorly from eye. Upper body and tail are brown to gray brown, or gray black, frequently tinged with blue; dark individuals have diffuse black pigment on scales, the pigment may be condensed to form dark margins on some scales. Body and tail bands are variable in prominence; the dark bands on body are broadest at the vertebral line, tapered off laterally (diamond shape from dorsal view) and may continue onto ventral body. Ventral head is yellow to yellow gray, tinged with medium black. Ventral body is yellow gray to blue gray; the color is uniform or with vague bands. The ventral scales are narrower than body width, especially in anterior body; scales on posterior half to two-thirds of body are with mid ventral keel of dividing line; scales on posterior one-third of body are notched in central region of posterior margin. Anal scale is divided and subcaudals are paired.
生態描述
闊帶青斑海蛇是日夜皆會出沒的蛇種,牠是同屬的種類裡長的最粗壯的一種。交配季節通常會在珊瑚礁與海邊岩岸地區等適合牠們群聚交配的地區發現其蹤影。母蛇於夏秋兩季產卵。通常會產下 1 - 8 枚 長寬約 8.7x3.4 cm 的卵;剛孵化的幼蛇約長 35-52 cm 。雌雄蛇肛吻長各在 80cm 和 70cm 時會達性成熟。而這個族群是以捕獵魚類為生的。
闊帶青斑海蛇是世界上最毒的蛇之一,不過由於牠們生性溫馴,所以就算是自衛也很少會有咬人的事件發生。
學名與俗名
Laticauda (來自拉丁文 latus = 廣闊,以及 cauda = 尾巴, 意指粗扁的尾巴) 是海蛇屬屬名,以前闊帶青斑海蛇也是被分類在這屬名底下。不過後來再2005年時 V. E. Kharin 把牠移到 Pseudolaticauda 底下,意思是 "假的 laticauda";
semifasciata = 來自拉丁文 semi = 一半, 還有 fasciatus = 環的; 比喻蛇的一節一節的花紋。
闊帶青斑海蛇、闊尾青斑海蛇、半環扁尾蛇。
翻譯:周信甫