Species Microcephalophis gracilis (Shaw, 1802)
Graceful Small-headed Sea Snake, Slender Sea Snake
- Hydrus gracilis Shaw, G. 1802. General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History. Pt. 2. Amphibia. London : Kearsley Vol. 3 pp. vii 313-615. [560].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH 1946.1.17.37, locality unknown. - Hydrus kadellnagam Boie, F. 1827. Bemerkungen über Merrem's Versuch eines Systems der Amphibien. Isis von Oken, Jena 20: 508-566 [554] [as Hydrus Kadell-Nagam].
Type data:
Holotype whereabouts unknown (described as pl. 13 Russell, P. 1801. A Continuation of an Account of Indian Serpents. London : Shakespeare Press 15 pp.), locality unknown. - Hydrophis leprogaster Duméril, A.M.C. & Bibron, G. 1856. In Fischer, J.G. Die Familie der Seeschlangen. Abhandlungen aus dem Gebiete der Naturwissenschaften. Hamburg 3: 1-78 [53] [nom. nud.; introduced in synonomy].
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
Generic Combinations
- Hydrophus gracilis (Shaw, 1802).
- Microcephalophis gracilis (Shaw, 1802).
Introduction
"M. gracilis is mentioned by M.A. Smith (1926) as occurring in Australia based on one specimen at the Australian Museum in Sydney (AMR6719). Cogger (1975) regarded this specimen as of doubtful provenance, but mentioned another from the Gulf of Papua (MCR142375), indicating M. gracilis does occur in Australian waters. The specimens mentioned as M. gracilis at the Museum Victoria, Melbourne turned out to be H. elegans (examined by ARR). Ineich and Rasmussen (1997) could not confirm M. gracilis in New Caledonian waters as the specimens identified by Gail and Rageau (1958) turned out to be H. coggeri. We have found no evidence to include this species in the checklist, but based on the specimen from Gulf of Papua we include it in the possible list." (from Rasmussen et al. 2014).
Distribution
States
Queensland
Extra Distribution Information
Coral Sea.
Australian Endemic.
IMCRA
Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)
Ecological Descriptors
Aquatic, continental shelf, inshore, nektonic, piscivore.
Extra Ecological Information
Perennially active, viviparous.
Notes
Non-Australian synonyms:
Thalassophis microcephala Schmidt, P. (1852). Beiträge zur ferneren kentniss der Meerschlangen. Abh. Geb. Naturw. Hamburg 2: 69-86 [78, pl. 2].
Type data: syntypes ZMH 396, ZMH 400 (see Smith, M.A. (1926). Monograph on the Sea Snakes. (Hydrophiidae). London : British Museum xvii 130 pp.).
Type locality: coast of Java, Indonesia, *** Type Locality Data Missing ***.
Hydrophis guntherii Murray, J.A. (1884). The Vertebrate Zoology of the Sind. London [396].
Type data: holotype BMNH 1946.1.17.38.
Type locality: Karachi, Pakistan.
Hydrophis rostralis Smith, M.A. (1917). Preliminary diagnoses of four new sea snakes. J. Nat. Hist. Soc. Siam 2: 340-342 [340].
Type data: holotype 'The Federated Malay States Museum, Kuala Lumpur 1102' (see Smith, M.A. (1926). Monograph on the Sea Snakes. (Hydrophiidae). London : British Museum xvii 130 pp.).
Type locality: Kuala Larut, Perak, Malaysia.
Taxonomic decision for synonymy: Smith, M.A. (1926). Monograph on the Sea Snakes. (Hydrophiidae). London : British Museum xvii 130 pp.
General References
Cogger, H.G. 1975. The sea snakes of Australia and New Guinea. pp. 59-139 in Dunson, W. (ed.). The Biology of Sea Snakes. Baltimore : University Park Press. (taxonomy)
McDowell, S.B. 1972. The genera of sea-snakes of the Hydrophis group (Serpentes: Elapidae). Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 32: 189-247 (taxonomy)
Rasmussen, A.R., Sanders, K.L., Guinea, M.L. & Amey, A.P. 2014. Sea snakes in Australian waters (Serpentes: subfamilies Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae)—a review with an updated identification key. Zootaxa 3869(4): 351-371 [355]
Smith, M.A. 1926. Monograph on the Sea Snakes. (Hydrophiidae). London : British Museum xvii 130 pp. (taxonomy)
Common Name References
Clayton, M., Wombey, J.C., Mason, I.J., Chesser, R.T. & Wells, A. 2006. CSIRO List of Australian Vertebrates: A Reference with Conservation Status. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing iv 162 pp. [46] (Slender Sea Snake)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04-Feb-2023 | ELAPIDAE Boie, 1827 | 30-Oct-2023 | MODIFIED | |
| 07-Feb-2024 | 05-Jun-2012 | MOVED | ||
| 07-Feb-2024 | 05-Jun-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 08-Mar-2011 | 08-Mar-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |