DOCSLIB.ORG

Thermal Dependence of Dive Behaviours and Metabolism in Sea Snakes Vinay Udyawer1,2,‡, Colin A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Thermal Dependence of Dive Behaviours and Metabolism in Sea Snakes Vinay Udyawer1,2,‡, Colin A © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | Journal of Experimental Biology (2016) 219, 3447-3454 doi:10.1242/jeb.146571 RESEARCH ARTICLE Coming up for air: thermal dependence of dive behaviours and metabolism in sea snakes Vinay Udyawer1,2,‡, Colin A. Simpfendorfer1, Michelle R. Heupel1,2 and Timothy D. Clark2,* ABSTRACT processes and accessing important underwater resources (Campbell Cutaneous gas exchange allows some air-breathing diving et al., 2010a,b; Heatwole et al., 2012; Pratt et al., 2010). As many ectotherms to supplement their pulmonary oxygen uptake, which air-breathing aquatic ectotherms occupy a top-order or meso- may allow prolongation of dives and an increased capacity to predator function within their ecosystems (e.g. crocodilians, sea withstand anthropogenic and natural threatening processes that snakes), behavioural modifications (e.g. change in prey preference, increase submergence times. However, little is known of the interplay range shifts) caused by changing environmental factors will have between metabolism, bimodal oxygen uptake and activity levels broad impacts on the ecosystem as a whole. Moreover, the dynamics across thermal environments in diving ectotherms. Here, we show between water temperature, behaviour and physiology in air- in two species of sea snake (spine-bellied sea snake, Hydrophis breathing aquatic ectotherms become increasingly important curtus; and elegant sea snake, Hydrophis elegans) that increasing when considering the projected increases in inter-annual and temperature elevates surfacing rate, increases total oxygen seasonal water temperatures (e.g. El Niño cycles, heatwaves; consumption and decreases dive duration. The majority of dives Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2014; Meehl and observed in both species remained within estimated maximal aerobic Tebaldi, 2004) and the potential flow-on effects for community limits. While cutaneous gas exchange accounted for a substantial structure and function. proportion of total oxygen consumption (up to 23%), unexpectedly it Some diving ectotherms can respire bimodally and have been was independent of water temperature and activity levels, suggesting reported to fulfil a large proportion of their oxygen requirements a diffusion-limited mechanism. Our findings demonstrate that rising cutaneously (e.g. marine snakes: Graham, 1974; Heatwole and water temperature and a limited capability to up-regulate cutaneous Seymour, 1975b), or through specialised vascular structures (e.g. oxygen uptake may compromise the proficiency with which sea freshwater turtles: Clark et al., 2008). Cutaneous oxygen uptake can snakes perform prolonged dives. This may hinder their capacity to be up-regulated by a redirection of blood to subcutaneous withstand ongoing anthropogenic activities like trawl fishing, and capillaries, and the exchange of dissolved gases between the increase their susceptibility to surface predation as their natural capillaries and surrounding water via a transcutaneous diffusion environments continue to warm. gradient (Andersen, 1966; Glass and Wood, 1983). The capability for gas exchange through cutaneous means depends on a range of KEY WORDS: Accelerometer, Aerobic limits, Bimodal gas exchange, abiotic factors (e.g. permeability of skin, oxygen tension in Hydrophis (Lapemis) curtus, Hydrophis elegans, Incidental trawl surrounding water) and physiological attributes (e.g. oxygen bycatch tension in blood, oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, cardiac output, body temperature) (Heatwole and Seymour, 1976; INTRODUCTION Lillywhite and Ellis, 1994). The capacity to uptake oxygen Air-breathing aquatic animals often use different strategies to cutaneously varies considerably between different species of prolong dive durations to maximise access to underwater resources aquatic ectotherms (Heatwole et al., 2012; Heatwole and and minimise predation risk at the surface (Heithaus and Frid, Seymour, 1975b, 1978; Herbert and Jackson, 1985; Pratt and 2003; Lima and Dill, 1990). Diving ectotherms face an Franklin, 2010). For example, file snakes (e.g. Achrochordus additional challenge because of their inability to physiologically granulatus, Achrochordus arafurae) display very low metabolic thermoregulate, as water temperature is influential in governing dive rates in comparison to other marine snakes (Heatwole and Seymour, duration given the 2- to 3-fold change in physiological rate 1975b), and their capacity for cutaneous gas exchange is thought to processes with a 10°C change in temperature (Clarke and Fraser, increase dive duration by up to 30% (Pratt et al., 2010). Moreover, 2004; Schmidt-Nielsen, 1997). The increase in metabolic bimodally respiring freshwater turtles can display up-regulation of requirements caused by increasing temperature can significantly cutaneous oxygen consumption (up to 100% in Elseya albagula)to influence the diving behaviours of air-breathing aquatic ectotherms prolong dive durations in response to environmental conditions or in the context of predation risk, interactions with threatening stress (Herbert and Jackson, 1985; Mathie and Franklin, 2006). Increased metabolic demand in warmer waters may mean that 1Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture & College of Marine and diving ectotherms deplete oxygen stores within their lungs and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia. tissues quicker during dives and thus may have a disproportionate 2Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia. reliance on other mechanisms to compensate (Dabruzzi et al., 2012; *Present address: University of Tasmania & CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Hobart, TAS 7004, Australia. Heatwole and Seymour, 1976; Pratt and Franklin, 2010). Campbell et al. (2010a) found that freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus ‡ Author for correspondence ([email protected]) johnstoni) displayed longer post-dive intervals in summer, in ‘ ’ V.U., 0000-0001-5812-0740 order to repay larger oxygen debts accumulated through anaerobic respiration as water temperatures increased. Specialised Received 22 July 2016; Accepted 22 August 2016 cardiorespiratory mechanisms have been linked with reducing Journal of Experimental Biology 3447 RESEARCH ARTICLE Journal of Experimental Biology (2016) 219, 3447-3454 doi:10.1242/jeb.146571 capture at the surface, or increase their survival in trawl nets List of symbols and abbreviations through extended dive durations. However, the capacity to up- ′ F EO2 fractional O2 concentration of excurrent air from respirometer regulate aquatic gas exchange in sea snakes across temperatures −1 (ml O2 min ) and during different levels of activity remains poorly understood. ′ F IO2 fractional O2 concentration of incurrent air into respirometer −1 This study builds on work previously conducted by Heatwole and (ml O2 min ) Seymour (1975a,b, 1976), by quantifying how water temperature GLMM generalised linear mixed model influences dive performance of true sea snakes, as well as K1 mean O2 consumption rate at the lowest temperature −1 −1 treatment (ml O2 min kg ) exploring the link between activity level and bimodal gas K2 mean O2 consumption rate at the highest temperature exchange. −1 −1 treatment (ml O2 min kg ) Over the last two decades, sea snake populations have declined Q10 temperature coefficient precipitously over large areas, including locations that were once RMS root mean square value representing body acceleration from renowned for their abundance and diversity (Goiran and Shine, all three axes (acceleration; m s−2) −1 2013; Lukoschek et al., 2013, 2007). The causes for these declines Sr surfacing rate (breathing bouts h ) SVL snout–vent length are currently unknown, yet fisheries-related mortality and ocean T1 lowest temperature treatment (°C) warming are identified as significant threatening processes for T2 highest temperature treatment (°C) global populations (Elfes et al., 2013; Heatwole et al., 2012). The −1 VB O2 consumed during each breathing bout (ml bout ) present study provides the first empirical quantification of the links ̇ −1 −1 VO O2 consumption rate (ml min kg ) ̇ 2 between water temperature, activity levels (via accelerometry), VO2,cut mass-specific cutaneous O2 consumption rate (aquatic O2 uptake; ml min−1 kg−1) surfacing rates and bimodal oxygen uptake in sea snakes, with an ̇ aim to decipher how changes in current-day and forecasted water VO2,pul mass-specific pulmonary O2 consumption rate (aerial O2 uptake; ml min−1 kg−1) temperatures may affect the susceptibility of sea snakes to ̇ ̇ ̇ VO2,tot total mass-specific O2 consumption rate (VO2,cut+ VO2,pul; ecological and anthropogenic threats such as predation and trawl ml min−1 kg−1) fishing. Δ −1 cO2 change in O2 concentration in respirometer water (ml min ) Δt period between respirometer flush cycles (min) MATERIALS AND METHODS Animals, tagging and experimental protocols This research was conducted with the approval of the Animal Ethics anaerobiosis in many marine snakes (e.g. breathing tachycardia, Committee of James Cook University (A1799) and in accordance cutaneous gas exchange; see Heatwole, 1977); however, the with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (G14/36624.1) influence of the thermal environment on these mechanisms is and the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage poorly understood. Cutaneous gas exchange in a range of ‘true’ sea Protection’s Scientific Purposes Permit (WISP11923512). snakes (i.e. spending their entire lives in aquatic environments)
Load more

Recommended publications
  • First Record of Laticauda Semifasciata (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae: Laticaudinae) from Korea
    Anim. Syst. Evol. Divers. Vol. 32, No. 2: 148-152, April 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.5635/ASED.2016.32.2.148 Short communication First Record of Laticauda semifasciata (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae: Laticaudinae) from Korea Jaejin Park1, Il-Hun Kim1,2, Kyo-Sung Koo1, Daesik Park3,* 1Department of Biology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea 2National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon 33661, Korea 3Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea ABSTRACT The Chinese sea snake Laticauda semifasciata (Reinwardt in Schlegel, 1837) is newly reported from Korean waters based on three specimens collected from Jeju Island, Korea, in August, September, and November 2015. This is the first time that the genus Laticauda and subfamily Laticaudinae has been reported from Korean waters. The subfamily Laticaudinae has ventrals that are four to five times wider than the adjacent dorsals, which are unlike the ventrals that are similar or up to two times wider than adjacent dorsals in the subfamily Hydrophiinae. Laticauda semifasciata is distinct from other species because it has three prefrontals and its rostrals are horizontally divided into two. As the result of this report, four species (L. semifasciata, Hydrophis (Pelamis) platurus, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, and H. melanocephalus) of sea snakes have been reported in Korean waters. Keywords: sea snake, Hydrophiinae, Laticaudinae, Chinese sea snake, Laticauda semifasciata INTRODUCTION semifasciata (Reinwardt in Schlegel, 1837) of the genus Laticauda and subfamily Laticaudinae for the first time in Globally, 70 sea snakes (aquatic elapids) of 8 genera in the Korean waters based on the specimens collected in Jeju Is- two subfamilies Hydrophiinae and Laticaudinae have been land in 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • The Herpetofauna of Timor-Leste: a First Report 19 Doi: 10.3897/Zookeys.109.1439 Research Article Launched to Accelerate Biodiversity Research
    A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeys 109: 19–86 (2011) The herpetofauna of Timor-Leste: a first report 19 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.109.1439 RESEARCH ARTICLE www.zookeys.org Launched to accelerate biodiversity research The herpetofauna of Timor-Leste: a first report Hinrich Kaiser1, Venancio Lopes Carvalho2, Jester Ceballos1, Paul Freed3, Scott Heacox1, Barbara Lester3, Stephen J. Richards4, Colin R. Trainor5, Caitlin Sanchez1, Mark O’Shea6 1 Department of Biology, Victor Valley College, 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, California 92395, USA; and The Foundation for Post-Conflict Development, 245 Park Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, New York 10167, USA 2 Universidade National Timor-Lorosa’e, Faculdade de Ciencias da Educaçao, Departamentu da Biologia, Avenida Cidade de Lisboa, Liceu Dr. Francisco Machado, Dili, Timor-Leste 3 14149 S. Butte Creek Road, Scotts Mills, Oregon 97375, USA 4 Conservation International, PO Box 1024, Atherton, Queensland 4883, Australia; and Herpetology Department, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia 5 School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia 6 West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 1LF, United Kingdom; and Australian Venom Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Vic- toria 3010, Australia Corresponding author: Hinrich Kaiser ([email protected]) Academic editor: Franco Andreone | Received 4 November 2010 | Accepted 8 April 2011 | Published 20 June 2011 Citation: Kaiser H, Carvalho VL, Ceballos J, Freed P, Heacox S, Lester B, Richards SJ, Trainor CR, Sanchez C, O’Shea M (2011) The herpetofauna of Timor-Leste: a first report. ZooKeys 109: 19–86.
    [Show full text]
  • Setting Priorities for Marine Conservation in the Fiji Islands Marine Ecoregion Contents
    Setting Priorities for Marine Conservation in the Fiji Islands Marine Ecoregion Contents Acknowledgements 1 Minister of Fisheries Opening Speech 2 Acronyms and Abbreviations 4 Executive Summary 5 1.0 Introduction 7 2.0 Background 9 2.1 The Fiji Islands Marine Ecoregion 9 2.2 The biological diversity of the Fiji Islands Marine Ecoregion 11 3.0 Objectives of the FIME Biodiversity Visioning Workshop 13 3.1 Overall biodiversity conservation goals 13 3.2 Specifi c goals of the FIME biodiversity visioning workshop 13 4.0 Methodology 14 4.1 Setting taxonomic priorities 14 4.2 Setting overall biodiversity priorities 14 4.3 Understanding the Conservation Context 16 4.4 Drafting a Conservation Vision 16 5.0 Results 17 5.1 Taxonomic Priorities 17 5.1.1 Coastal terrestrial vegetation and small offshore islands 17 5.1.2 Coral reefs and associated fauna 24 5.1.3 Coral reef fi sh 28 5.1.4 Inshore ecosystems 36 5.1.5 Open ocean and pelagic ecosystems 38 5.1.6 Species of special concern 40 5.1.7 Community knowledge about habitats and species 41 5.2 Priority Conservation Areas 47 5.3 Agreeing a vision statement for FIME 57 6.0 Conclusions and recommendations 58 6.1 Information gaps to assessing marine biodiversity 58 6.2 Collective recommendations of the workshop participants 59 6.3 Towards an Ecoregional Action Plan 60 7.0 References 62 8.0 Appendices 67 Annex 1: List of participants 67 Annex 2: Preliminary list of marine species found in Fiji. 71 Annex 3 : Workshop Photos 74 List of Figures: Figure 1 The Ecoregion Conservation Proccess 8 Figure 2 Approximate
    [Show full text]
  • Diel Patterns in Three-Dimensional Use of Space by Sea Snakes
    Diel patterns in three-dimensional use of space by sea snakes Udyawer et al. Udyawer et al. Anim Biotelemetry (2015) 3:29 DOI 10.1186/s40317-015-0063-6 Udyawer et al. Anim Biotelemetry (2015) 3:29 DOI 10.1186/s40317-015-0063-6 TELEMETRY CASE REPORT Open Access Diel patterns in three‑dimensional use of space by sea snakes Vinay Udyawer1*, Colin A Simpfendorfer1 and Michelle R Heupel1,2 Abstract Background: The study of animal movement and use of space have traditionally focused on horizontal and vertical movements separately. However, this may limit the interpretation of results of such behaviours in a three-dimensional environment. Here we use passive acoustic telemetry to visualise and define the three-dimensional use of space by two species of sea snake [Hydrophis (Lapemis) curtus; and Hydrophis elegans] within a coastal embayment and identify changes in how they use space over a diel cycle. Results: Monitored snakes exhibited a clear diel pattern in their use of space, with individuals displaying restricted movements at greater depths during the day, and larger movements on the surface at night. Hydrophis curtus gener- ally occupied space in deep water within the bay, while H. elegans were restricted to mud flats in inundated inter-tidal habitats. The overlap in space used between day and night showed that individuals used different core areas; how- ever, the extent of areas used was similar. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that by incorporating the capacity to dive in analyses of space use by sea snakes, changes over a diel cycle can be identified. Three-dimensional use of space by sea snakes can identify spatial or temporal overlaps with anthropogenic threats (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Marine Reptiles Arne R
    Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Study of Biological Complexity Publications Center for the Study of Biological Complexity 2011 Marine Reptiles Arne R. Rasmessen The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts John D. Murphy Field Museum of Natural History Medy Ompi Sam Ratulangi University J. Whitfield iG bbons University of Georgia Peter Uetz Virginia Commonwealth University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/csbc_pubs Part of the Life Sciences Commons Copyright: © 2011 Rasmussen et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Downloaded from http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/csbc_pubs/20 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for the Study of Biological Complexity at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Study of Biological Complexity Publications by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Review Marine Reptiles Arne Redsted Rasmussen1, John C. Murphy2, Medy Ompi3, J. Whitfield Gibbons4, Peter Uetz5* 1 School of Conservation, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2 Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, 3 Marine Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, 4 Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Aiken, South Carolina, United States of America, 5 Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America Of the more than 12,000 species and subspecies of extant Caribbean, although some species occasionally travel as far north reptiles, about 100 have re-entered the ocean.
    [Show full text]
  • Vol. 25 No. 1 March, 2000 H a M a D R Y a D V O L 25
    NO.1 25 M M A A H D A H O V D A Y C R R L 0 0 0 2 VOL. 25NO.1 MARCH, 2000 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% HAMADRYAD Vol. 25. No. 1. March 2000 Date of issue: 31 March 2000 ISSN 0972-205X Contents A. E. GREER & D. G. BROADLEY. Six characters of systematic importance in the scincid lizard genus Mabuya .............................. 1–12 U. MANTHEY & W. DENZER. Description of a new genus, Hypsicalotes gen. nov. (Sauria: Agamidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, North Borneo, with remarks on the generic identity of Gonocephalus schultzewestrumi Urban, 1999 ................13–20 K. VASUDEVAN & S. K. DUTTA. A new species of Rhacophorus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Western Ghats, India .................21–28 O. S. G. PAUWELS, V. WALLACH, O.-A. LAOHAWAT, C. CHIMSUNCHART, P. DAVID & M. J. COX. Ethnozoology of the “ngoo-how-pak-pet” (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) in southern peninsular Thailand ................29–37 S. K. DUTTA & P. RAY. Microhyla sholigari, a new species of microhylid frog (Anura: Microhylidae) from Karnataka, India ....................38–44 Notes R. VYAS. Notes on distribution and breeding ecology of Geckoella collegalensis (Beddome, 1870) ..................................... 45–46 A. M. BAUER. On the identity of Lacerta tjitja Ljungh 1804, a gecko from Java .....46–49 M. F. AHMED & S. K. DUTTA. First record of Polypedates taeniatus (Boulenger, 1906) from Assam, north-eastern India ...................49–50 N. M. ISHWAR. Melanobatrachus indicus Beddome, 1878, resighted at the Anaimalai Hills, southern India .............................
    [Show full text]
  • Venom of the Annulated Sea Snake Hydrophis Cyanocinctus: a Biochemically Simple but Genetically Complex Weapon
    toxins Article Venom of the Annulated Sea Snake Hydrophis cyanocinctus: A Biochemically Simple but Genetically Complex Weapon Hong-Yan Zhao 1, Yan Sun 1, Yu Du 2,3,4, Jia-Qi Li 4, Jin-Geng Lv 2,3, Yan-Fu Qu 4, Long-Hui Lin 1, Chi-Xian Lin 2,3,*, Xiang Ji 3,4,5,* and Jian-Fang Gao 1,* 1 Hangzhou Key Laboratory for Animal Adaptation and Evolution, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China; [email protected] (H.-Y.Z.); [email protected] (Y.S.); [email protected] (L.-H.L.) 2 Hainan Key Laboratory of Herpetological Research, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572022, China; [email protected] (Y.D.); [email protected] (J.-G.L.) 3 MOE Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572022, China 4 Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; [email protected] (J.-Q.L.); [email protected] (Y.-F.Q.) 5 College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China * Correspondence: [email protected] (C.-X.L.); [email protected] (X.J.); [email protected] (J.-F.G.) Abstract: Given that the venom system in sea snakes has a role in enhancing their secondary adaption to the marine environment, it follows that elucidating the diversity and function of venom toxins will help to understand the adaptive radiation of sea snakes.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphology, Reproduction and Diet of the Greater Sea Snake, Hydrophis Major (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae)
    Coral Reefs https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-019-01833-5 REPORT Morphology, reproduction and diet of the greater sea snake, Hydrophis major (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae) 1 1 2 R. Shine • T. Shine • C. Goiran Received: 5 January 2019 / Accepted: 9 June 2019 Ó Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract Although widespread, the large Hydrophiinae relatives in some respects, other characteristics (such as sea snake Hydrophis major is poorly known ecologically. scale rugosity, low proportion of juveniles in collections, We dissected 119 preserved specimens in museum col- frequent production of small litters of large offspring) may lections to quantify body sizes and proportions, sexual reflect adaptation to marine habitats. dimorphism, reproductive biology and diet. The sexes mature at similar snout–vent lengths (SVLs, about 75 cm) Keywords Dietary specialisation Á Disteira major Á and attain similar maximum sizes (females 123 cm vs. Elapidae Á Life-history Á Olive-headed sea snake Á Trophic males 122 cm SVL), but females in our sample exhibited ecology larger mean sizes than did males (means 98.8 vs. 93.1 cm SVL). The adult sex ratio in museum specimens was highly female-biased (64:30), and the high proportion of repro- Introduction ductive females during the austral summer suggests annual reproduction. At the same SVL, females had shorter tails Rates of speciation are higher in the viviparous sea snakes and wider bodies than did males, but sex differences in (Hydrophiinae) than in any other extant group of reptiles. other body proportions (e.g. tail shape, head dimensions, In particular, one clade of sea snakes—the Hydrophis eye diameter) were minimal.
    [Show full text]
  • First Record of the Blue-Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda Laticaudata, Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae: Laticaudinae) on Jeju Island, South Korea
    Asian Herpetological Research 2017, 8(2): 131–136 ORIGINAL ARTICLE DOI: 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.160066 First Record of the Blue-banded Sea Krait (Laticauda laticaudata, Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae: Laticaudinae) on Jeju Island, South Korea Jaejin PARK1#, Kyo-Soung KOO1#, Il-Hun KIM1,2, Woo-Jin CHOI1 and Daesik PARK3* 1 Department of Biology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon 24341, South Korea 2 National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon, Chungnam 33662, South Korea 3 Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon 24341, South Korea Abstract We report the first recorded capture of a blue-banded sea snake (Laticauda laticaudata Linnaeus, 1758, Jobeuntti KunBadabam in Korean) in South Korea based on one male specimen collected from Marado-ri, Seogwipo- si, Jeju-do on 20 October 2016. The morphological features of the lateral nostrils, the much wider ventrals than adjacent dorsals, the horizontally undivided rostral, the two prefrontals, and the uniform black bands on the body indicate that the specimen is L. laticaudata. An analysis of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence indicated that the specimen fits well into the known L. laticaudata phylogenetic group, which confirms that the sea krait is L. laticaudata. Including this report, five species of sea snakes (L. laticaudata, L. semifasciata, Hydrophis platurus, H. cyanocinctus, and H. melanocephalus) have now been reported in Korean waters. Keywords sea snake, Hydrophiinae, Laticaudinae, blue-banded sea snake, Laticauda laticaudata 1. Introduction approaches, studies to determine the species distributions and biological and ecological characteristics are necessary Marine (Hamann et al., 2007; Rasmussen et al., 2011a; (Hamann et al., 2007; GBRMPA, 2012).
    [Show full text]
  • Effect of Fishing Practices on Species Assemblages of Sea Snakes Off the Sindhudurg Coast of Maharashtra, India
    Effect of fishing practices on species assemblages of sea snakes off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India Final report Submitted by: Research team, Dakshin Foundation, Bangalore Chetan Rao, MSc., Research Assistant Trisha Gupta, MSc., Project Assistant Shawn Dsouza, MSc., Project Intern Muralidharan M., M.Sc., Programme Officer, Biodiversity and Resource Monitoring Kartik Shanker, PhD., Founding Trustee Naveen Namboothri, PhD., Director About Dakshin Foundation: Dakshin Foundation is a registered not-for-profit, non-governmental organization. Since its establishment in 2008, we have undertaken a range of projects that deal with conservation. Dakshin works with an understanding that challenges of conserving our environment is one that necessitates an active engagement between the natural and social sciences where conservationists accommodate expertise that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Dakshin’s applied scientific research aims at filling some of the critical gaps in our current knowledge of marine ecosystems. Through long-term monitoring of select ecosystems and taxa, our research aims to advance our understanding of the patterns and processes that maintain ecosystem function and resilience to anthropogenic stress and climate-induced changes. Introduction: Taxonomy and Distribution Sea snakes are venomous snakes that are specialised to inhabit marine ecosystems (Voris 1977; Heatwole 1999, Ineich and Laboute 2002) and have evolved independently from terrestrial snakes of family Elapidae (Voris 1977). Further taxonomic divisions have categorized sea snakes into two subfamilies: the oviparous sea kraits; Laticaudinae and the viviparous ‘true sea snakes’ Hydrophiinae (Lukoschek 2007). There are ~65 species of sea snakes reported from the modern oceans. Morphological and genetic variations have been reported in ubiquitous species such as the hook-nosed or beaked sea snake (Hydrophis schistosus) and Shaw’s sea snake (Hydrophis curtus) (Ukuwela et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Ecology of True Sea Snakes (Hydrophiinae) in Coastal Waters of North Queensland
    ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: Udyawer, Vinay (2015) Spatial ecology of true sea snakes (Hydrophiinae) in coastal waters of North Queensland. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/46245/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact [email protected] and quote http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/46245/ Spatial ecology of true sea snakes (Hydrophiinae) in coastal waters of North Queensland © Isabel Beasley Dissertation submitted by Vinay Udyawer BSc (Hons) September 2015 For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy College of Marine and Environmental Sciences James Cook University Townsville, Australia Statement of Access I, the undersigned author of this work, understand that James Cook University will make this thesis available within the University Library, and elsewhere via the Australian Digital Thesis network. I declare that the electronic copy of this thesis provided to the James Cook University library is an accurate copy of the print these submitted to the College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, within the limits of the technology available. I understand that as an unpublished work, this thesis has significant protection under the Copyright Act, and; All users consulting this thesis must agree not to copy or closely paraphrase it in whole or in part without the written consent of the author; and to make proper public written acknowledgement for any assistance they obtain from it.
    [Show full text]
  • Development of Ten Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci For
    Conservation Genet Resour (2011) 3:497–501 DOI 10.1007/s12686-011-9388-5 TECHNICAL NOTE Development of ten polymorphic microsatellite loci for the sea snake Hydrophis elegans (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) and cross-species amplification for fifteen marine hydrophiine species Vimoksalehi Lukoschek • John C. Avise Received: 5 January 2011 / Accepted: 17 January 2011 / Published online: 30 January 2011 Ó The Author(s) 2011. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract We developed ten microsatellite loci for the questions about population genetic structure, gene flow, elegant sea snake, Hydrophis elegans, from partial geno- dispersal, effective population sizes and mating systems. mic DNA libraries using a repeat enrichment protocol. Microsatellite loci have only been developed for one sea Eight loci had nine or more alleles per locus (maximum snake species, Aipysurus laevis, (Lukoschek et al. 2005) 20), while the other two had three and seven. All ten loci and large-scale genotyping revealed relatively low poly- amplified successfully in 11 of the 15 additional hydro- morphism at most loci (Lukoschek et al. 2008). Moreover, phiine sea snake species screened. Nine loci amplified true sea snakes comprise two evolutionary lineages successfully for three species and eight amplified suc- (Lukoschek and Keogh 2006), the Aipysurus and Hydro- cessfully for the remaining species. Based on this highly phis groups, and microsatellites developed for A. laevis do successful cross-amplification we expect these ten loci to not amplify in Hydrophis group species (Lukoschek 2008). be useful markers for investigating population genetic The 39 Hydrophis group species are closely related structure, gene flow and parentage for all sea snake species (Lukoschek and Keogh 2006), so in order to obtain poly- from the Hydrophis group.
    [Show full text]