Sea Snakes

Sea snakes, or "sea snakes", are venomous elapid snakes that inhabit marine environments for most or all of their lives. They are found in warm coastal waters from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. There are approximately 31 different species of sea snake. Sea snakes are highly venomous. All of them are dangerous to humans, but relatively few of these bites cause any significant injury because the sea snake fangs are extremely tiny, only 2-4 mm. in length.



Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Elapidae Boie, 1827

Venom

Venom is any of a variety of toxins used by certain types of animals, for the purpose of defense and hunting. Generally, venom is injected while poisons are absorbed by ingestion or through the skin.

Who Produce Venom:

The animals most widely known to use venom

are snakes, some species of which inject venom into their prey through hollow fangs; spiders

and centipedes, which also inject venom through fangs; scorpions and stinging insects, which

inject venom with a sting (which, in insects such as bees and wasps, is a modified egg-laying

device – the ovipositor).

Snake venom:

Snake venom is a complex type of saliva which

is produced and stored in glands under and behind the eye. It varies in protein and toxicity.

Types of Venom:

There are four types of venom: haemotoxic,

which attacks the blood; neurotoxic, which attacks the nervous system and causes paralysis; myotoxic, which destroys muscle tissue; and cytotoxic, which destroys other cells in the body.