NRLD - 330122 | Hydrophis curtus

Assessment ID

330122

Taxon name

Hydrophis curtus

(Shaw, 1802)

Uploaded by

National Red List Database

Taxonomic information

Scientific name

Hydrophis curtus

(Shaw, 1802)

Assessed taxon level

Species

Higher level taxonomic groupings

Vertebrates

Reptiles

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

chordata

Class

reptilia

Order

squamata

Family

elapidae

Genus

Hydrophis

Species

curtus

Species authority

(Shaw, 1802)

Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed

This species was formerly known as Lapemis curtus, however, 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.Hydrophis curtus is sometimes regarded as two species, H. curtus occurring in the Indian Ocean and H. hardwickii occurring in southeast Asia and Australasia (Smith 1926, Cogger 2000). This division is not supported by morphological analyses based on large numbers of individuals from populations throughout the species' geographic range (Gritis and Voris 1990). However, molecular data show a deep divergence between clades of H. curtus in the Indian Ocean versus the West Pacific (Ukuwela et al. 2014). Further work is required to confirm the identity of this species across its range, and at present, a single species, H. curtus, is maintained.

Location and scope

Specific locality or subnational name or regional name

United Arab Emirates (the)

Scope (of the Assessment)

National

Countries included within the scope of the assessment

United Arab Emirates (the)

Country ISO code(s)

ARE

Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?

Not_assigned

Conservation Status

Assessed as

Data deficient

Abbreviated status

Criteria system used

IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification

Within UAE waters, this species is not well known and is less common than some other sea snake species. In the Arabian Gulf, only two records are known, however, it is considered one of the most common sea snakes in Iranian waters in the Arabian Gulf. On the east coast, it is known from more records, mostly from south of Fujairah city. Nothing is known of the population size or trend, and further research is required. The species is considered Data Deficient for the UAE at present because the available data are inadequate to assign the species to either Least Concern or a threatened category, and research into this and other sea snakes should be a priority.

Assessment details

Year assessed

2018

Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed

UAE National Red List Workshop

Criteria system used

IUCN

Reference for methods given

IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.

Further information

Endemism (according to assessment)

Endemic to region

Not assigned

Taxon distribution as listed in assessment

Presence of this species is confirmed within the United Arab Emirates marine territorial waters (Soorae et al. 2006, 2010; Gardner 2013, Castilla et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). It is most common in the southern part of the east coast, south of Fujairah city, from 3.5 - 7 km offshore (Géczy et al. 2017, Buzás et al. 2018). In the Arabian Gulf, this species is apparently less common, with few known records; Soorae et al. (2006) recorded the species from Abu Dhabi island. It has been recorded from Iranian waters in the northern Arabian Gulf, with records from the Straits of Hormuz requiring confirmation. The depth range is not certain, but likely to be found to c. 55 m depth along the east coast. The first museum specimen from the region was collected off the west coast of the Musandam Peninsula (Arabian Gulf, UAE) in 1931 (Gasperetii 1988), and recent museum records are available for the UAE (Al Mayya Sanctuary, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates).Globally (Culotta and Pickwell 1993, Lukoschek et al. 2010), this species has one of the most extensive distributions of all sea snakes (Minton 1975, David and Ineich 1999). It occurs from the Arabian Gulf to eastern Australia and includes Pakistan, the entire Indian coastline, Myanmar, Thailand, South China Sea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia (David and Ineich 1999; Ukuwela et al. 2014, 2016). One individual of this species has been reported from an unknown location in New Caledonia (Rasmussen and Ineich 2000), but it is not clear whether there are breeding populations in that region.

Is there a map available in assessment?

Yes

Habitat and systems

Ecological system type

Terrestrial

Not_assigned

Freshwater

Not_assigned

Marine

Not_assigned

Habitat

Habitat details as listed in assessment

In the UAE, this species is found up to 6-7 km off the east coast, at depths of up to 55 m, where the bottom is sandy. The habitat requirements in the UAE require further research. In the Arabian Gulf, there have been significant declines in suitable habitats (seagrass, coral reefs etc), but specific utilisation of these habitats is uncertain.This species occurs in a wide range of tropical shallow-water habitats including gulfs, bays, and estuaries, over continental shelves and also over soft-sediments adjacent to coral reefs (Lukoschek et al. 2010). It is associated with many soft-sediment types including sand, muddy sand, and mud and sometimes ascends rivers, thus also occurs in freshwater habitats (Lukoschek et al. 2010). It is a generalist feeder and its diet includes many species of benthic, demersal and pelagic fish, as well as squid and other crustaceans (Glodek and Voris 1982, Fry et al. 2001, Lobo et al. 2005, Rezaie-Atagholipour 2012).

Threats and conservation measures listed

Threats listed in assessment

As with all sea snakes, this species is vulnerable to indirect threats from habitat loss and climate change throughout its range (Rasmussen et al. in prep.). The impact of oil spills and other marine pollution requires further study. They have the potential for entanglement in marine litter and abandoned fish traps (garghoor).This species occurs primarily in shallow-water coastal soft-sediment habitats, and Lukoschek et al. (2010) cited fisheries bycatch (in prawn trawl fisheries) and intentional harvest for snakeskins as the two major threats to this species across its global distribution. It is not known whether, and to what extent, these threats impact this species in UAE waters, and there is no reported use in the UAE.

Publication

UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles

Els, J., Allen, D., Hilton-Taylor, C., Harding, K. (2019). UAE National Red List of Herpetofauna: Amphibians & Terrestrial Reptiles, Sea Snakes & Marine Turtles. MOCCAE, UAE