Hydrophis melanocephalus

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Elapoidea
Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Unikonta Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: ParaHoxozoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Megaclassis: Osteichthyes Cladus: Sarcopterygii Cladus: Rhipidistia Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes Cladus: Elpistostegalia Superclassis: Tetrapoda Cladus: Reptiliomorpha Cladus: Amniota Cladus: Sauropsida Classis: Reptilia Cladus: Eureptilia Cladus: Romeriida Cladus: Diapsida Cladus: Neodiapsida Cladus: Sauria Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha Superordo: Lepidosauria Ordo: Squamata Cladus: Unidentata, Episquamata Cladus: Toxicofera Subordo: Serpentes Infraordo: Caenophidia Superfamilia: Elapoidea

Familia: Elapidae
Subfamilia: Hydrophiinae
Genus: Hydrophis
Species: Hydrophis melanocephalus

Name

Hydrophis melanocephalus Gray, 1849

Lectotype: BMNH 1946.1.9.22 (formerly BMNH 1847.3.4.68), adult ♀, presented by E. Belcher [Samarang Exped.] in 1847. [designated by Stejneger (1907: 426)]

Type locality: “Indian Ocean” (in error) fide Stejneger (1907: 425) and Smith (1926: 65), redesigned by lectotype designation to “China Sea or even…the Ryukyus”.

Combinations

Hydrophis spiralis melanocephalus Gray, 1849: 53 [original combination, as subspecies]
Hydrophis melanocephalus — Boulenger, 1896: 283 [subsequent combination, elevate to species]

References

Primary references

Gray, J.E. 1849. Catalogue of the specimens of snakes in the collection of the British Museum. Edward Newman: London. i–xv + 1–125. BHL Reference page.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2025. Hydrophis melanocephalus. The Reptile Database. Accessed on 5 May 2019.
Rasmussen, A. 2010. IUCN: Hydrophis melanocephalus (Data Deficient). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T176762A7299369. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176762A7299369.en
iNaturalist: Hydrophis melanocephalus - observations

Vernacular names

English: Slender-necked Sea Snake
日本語: クロガシラウミヘビ
中文: 黑头海蛇