Taxonomic Notes
A recent molecular phylogenetic study of 39 sea snake species in 15 genera recovered Hydrophis as broadly paraphyletic with respect to several other genera (Sanders et al. 2013). Instead of erecting multiple new genera, the authors recommended dismantling the mostly monotypic genera Pelamis, Enhydrina, Astrotia, Thalassophina, Acalyptophis, Kerilia, Lapemis and Disteira, and recognizing a single genus, Hydrophis, for these taxa (Sanders et al. 2013). This classification system avoids confusion and better reflects the history of recent and very rapid diversification of these snakes and are followed by most recent authors (e.g., Leviton et al. 2014, Lillywhite et al. 2014, Rasmussen et al. 2014, Ukuwela et al. 2014, D'Anastasi et al. 2016, Rezaie-Atagholipour et al. 2016, Udyawer et al. 2015, Mirtschin et al. 2017).A distinctive new subspecies of sea snake from inner-basin waters of Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica has been described (Bessesen and Galbreath 2017). The Yellow sea snake, Hydrophis platurus ssp. xanthos Bessesen & Galbreath, 2017 is diagnosed by a notably smaller body size and nearly uniform yellow colouration, which contrasts with the black and yellow striae and tail spots or bands typical of the species (Bessesen and Galbreath 2017).
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Gasperetti 1988, Egan 2007, Soorae et al. 2006, Gardner 2013, Buzás et al. 2018), with confirmed records from the Arabian Gulf (from small numbers of strandings) and the Gulf of Oman, where it is primarily found up to 8.9 km offshore, but seen at 13.8, 34.5, 44 and 78 km offshore; as a pelagic species, it can be found anywhere within the EEZ (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c.5 m depth, as this is a surface-dwelling species. Recent museum records are available for the UAE in the Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah.Globally, this species is very widespread in the tropical parts of the Pacific and Indian Oceans between the 18-20'º C isotherms (Dunson and Ehlert 1971, Graham et al. 1971). It is known from the coasts of eastern Africa, north to the Arabian Gulf, east along the Asian coast of the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, northward to Japan and eastward to the western coasts of the Americas (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Heatwole 1999). Currents occasionally carry the snakes into temperate waters, but these are almost certainly far from their breeding and feeding waters (Guinea et al. 2017). The species has been reported, from a small number of records, from Atlantic waters (Atlantic coast of Africa and the Caribbean coast of Columbia), which suggests that colonization of the Atlantic Ocean is a possibility (Lillywhite et al. 2018).
