McDowell’s Sea Snake

Identification and appearance

The Australian sea-snake review describes a small head and compressed hindbody, with dark bands and intervening or lateral rows of spots.

Other names

Hydrophis mcdowelli

Typical length

AROD lists a species average of about 80 cm; the entry gives no separate maximum.

Key identification features

• Small head and compressed hindbody.
• Dark bands with intervening or lateral rows of spots.

Where it is found

Australian records are listed for the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, with the wider range extending to New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Activity

In New Caledonia, it searches for prey inside fish burrows on lagoon bottoms at depths of 10–40 m.

Reproduction

Live-bearing.

Medical significance

For any suspected snakebite, call 000 and follow snakebite first aid. Do not wait for identification.

What to do if you encounter one

Keep away from the animal and do not enter its path. Never handle, net or disentangle a sea snake; alert local marine authorities or a qualified wildlife professional if intervention is necessary.

Similar-looking snakes

No photograph available

Elapidae

Dwarf Sea Snake

Hydrophis caerulescens

A small sea snake confirmed in the Gulf of Carpentaria, with bluish-grey upperparts, a pale underside and broad bands that can fade in older adults.

Open identification guide →

Horned Sea Snake (Hydrophis peronii) recorded by a remotely operated vehicle at Ashmore Reef in 2021. The inset shows a closer view of the head. Underwater lighting affects the apparent colour.

Photo: Speed et al. (2022), Frontiers in Marine Science 9:921542, Figure 3H · CC BY 4.0 (Licence)

Elapidae

Horned Sea Snake

Hydrophis peronii

An Indo-Pacific sea snake with Australian records in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. It has blunt projections on certain head shields and may be cream to pale brown with bands that fade in older adults.

Open identification guide →