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Northern mangrove seasnake

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(Redirected from Parahydrophis mertoni) Species of snake

Northern mangrove seasnake
Conservation status

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Parahydrophis
Species: P. mertoni
Binomial name
Parahydrophis mertoni
(Roux, 1910)
Synonyms
  • Distira mertoni
    Roux, 1910
  • Hydrophis mertoni
    — de Rooij, 1917
  • Parahydrophis mertoni
    — Burger & Natsuno, 1974

The northern mangrove seasnake (Parahydrophis mertoni), also known commonly as the Arafura smooth seasnake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Australia and New Guinea.

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1910 as Distira mertoni by Jean Roux. It was transferred to the genus, Parahydrophis, in 1974 by Burger and Netsuno.

Etymology

The specific name, mertoni, is in honor of German zoologist Hugo Merton.

Geographic range

Parahydrophis mertoni is found in Northern Australia in Northern Territory and Queensland. It is also found in New Guinea in the Arafura Sea. It is found in the inter-tidal zone.

Description

Parahydrophis mertoni is blackish-olive with about 46 yellow rings on the body and ten on the tail. The head shields are spotted with yellow, except for the rostral and labials which are black.

Reproduction

Parahydrophis mertoni is viviparous.

References

  1. ^ Guinea M, Lukoschek V, Milton D, Courtney T (2010). "Parahydrophis mertoni ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T176772A7301678. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176772A7301678.en. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. ^ Species Parahydrophis mertoni at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Australian Biological Resources Study (26 August 2013). "Species Parahydrophis mertoni (Roux, 1910)". Australian Faunal Directory. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australian Government. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  4. J Roux (1 January 1910). "Reptilien und Amphibien der Aru- und Kei-Inseln". Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft (in German). 33: 1–36. ISSN 0365-7000. Wikidata Q95717201.
  5. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Parahtdrophis mertoni, p. 177).
  6. de Rooij N (1917). The Reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. II. Ophidia. Leiden: E.J. Brill. xiv + 334 pp., 117 Figures. (Hydrophis mertoni, new combination, p. 233).

Further reading

  • Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350.
  • Roux J (1910). "Reptilien und Amphibien der Aru- und Kei-Inseln ". Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 33: 211–247. (Distira mertoni, new species, p. 222 + Plate 13, figures 4 & 4a). (in German).
  • Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN 978-1921517280.


Taxon identifiers
Parahydrophis mertoni
Distira mertoni
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