I have been studying sea snakes in school. These amazing creatures are Aquatic Herps. You probably know what aquatic means, but I will explain the word herp. The word herp comes from the Greek word herpeton meaning “creatures that creep on their belly”. Scientists use this word for reptiles and amphibians. Herps are ectothermic (cold blooded); vertebrates (have a backbone). Sea snakes are ovoviviparous which means that they lay their eggs inside their bodies and give birth to live young.
Most snakes have scutes, which help them to move on land. Sea snakes have no scutes, so they must stay in the water. They have a paddle on the end of their tails which helps them to swim.
Sea snakes are very poisonous; one chomp of their venom can kill five men. They have enough poison to kill fifty-three adult men. Sea snakes also have a bite reflex which works up to an hour after they are completely dead.
There are more than fifty different kinds of sea snakes. However, no sea snakes can be found in the Atlantic Ocean or the colder parts of the Pacific Ocean. Most species live near the coast, from the Persian Gulf through Southeast Asia and down to the Australia. Sea snakes are truly an amazing part of God’s creation!
