Channel: What Lurks Below

Category: Education

Description: Sea snakes explained! Learn more about these sea serpents & reptiles. Evolving from cobras, sea snakes have the most toxic & potent venom in the world! SUBSCRIBE for the latest videos: goo.gl/7xzjzR #10. There are 69 Species of Sea Snakes So far, 69 species of sea snakes have been identified. However, given that 80 percent of the ocean is unexplored, there may be more species yet, hiding away in the depths. These creatures may be massive in size. However, once discovered, they will likely be sorted into the pre-existing categories of true sea snakes and sea kraits. Unless their characteristics are so different that a new category has to be created.  #9. Sea snakes differ from land snakes mostly by their tails  There are a lot of anatomical and physiological differences between sea snakes and land snakes. However, one of the most common differences is in the tail. Land snakes have a tail that tapers into a point. With sea snakes, though, they have a paddle-like tail, allowing them to navigate within aqueous environments. This is the most obvious difference between the two and will instantly help you distinguish between the two. But let's discuss some other physical differences. #8. Sea snakes are some of the oldest living creatures In captivity, individual sea snakes have a recorded maximum lifespan of 7 years. In the wild, if they aren't hunted down by predators such as sharks, large bony fishes, and even birds, they may live longer.  However, the sea snake subfamily itself has been around for millions of years. Even though all life emerged from the sea, sea snakes ironically evolved from their land-living counterparts. The first sea snakes began to evolve about six to eight million years ago in Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle. Even so, most species only evolved one to three million years ago.  #7. Sea Snakes do not exist in the Atlantic Ocean As the second-largest of the world's oceans, covering 20 percent of the Earth's surface, the Atlantic Ocean is one of the most biodiverse aquatic habitats. It contains such creatures as great white sharks, green sea turtles, sea turtles, rays, manatees, and dolphins. For all this biodiversity, sea snakes cannot be found in this region. Instead, they can typically be found in warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. A couple of species can even be found in Oceanic and Caribbean waters.   #6. Sea Snakes are Highly Venomous  Land snakes developed venom to help them hunt and protect themselves from predators. Seeing as sea snakes evolved from land snakes, they carried that adaptation with them and then some. Sea snakes are highly venomous. The baked venom of a sea snake is four times more deadly than that of a cobra.  #5. Sea Snakes can die of thirst Very few creatures that live within marine environments are perfectly adapted to live there. For example, sharks and whales have been known to drown, by getting tired of swimming and failing to resurface for air, respectively. Seeing as sea snakes evolved from terrestrial organisms, they are even less suited for marine environments. They have been known to die of thirst from time to time.  #4. Sea Snakes are deep divers Sea snakes can dive deep into the ocean. Deeper than some scuba drivers. They can reach depths of up to 800 feet when hunting for prey. At those depths, they approach the bathypelagic zone, also known as the midnight zone. There, temperatures average 39 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sea Snakes dive into these regions in search of prey. Most creatures at these depths, because of the absence of light, do not even have eyes.  #3. Sea Snakes Rely on Special Sensory Abilities Terrestrial snakes are some of the best predators available. They have great vision and hearing, in addition to chemoreception by tongue-flicking. In water, though, all these senses become distorted, which means that the great hunting ability of most sea snakes cannot be attributed to these senses alone. And so, it is thought that they have other adaptations to compensate for the lack of these senses in water.  #2. Sea Snakes can hold their breath for a really long time Unlike fish, sea snakes need to breathe in air to survive. This is yet another vestige of their terrestrial origins. Every single species of these creatures needs to return to the surface periodically if they are to continue to survive. This is partly what makes them vulnerable to certain sea birds.  #1. Sea snakes are the only reptiles that give birth in the ocean Although most reptiles are known to lay eggs, sea snakes give birth, and they give birth in the ocean. Their young are born live, and sometimes, this causes them to stick together in social groups. The reason for this is because they rarely visit land. As such, they can't incubate their eggs as other reptiles do. As such, they incubate their snakes within their bodies.