Aipysurus laevis Lacépède, 1804

Locomotion Adaptation

The olive sea snake, Aipysurus laevis, swims using a paddle-like tail.

Coloration

It has brownish and purple scales along the top of its body, and its underside is white.

Body Length

It usually grows up to 1 meter in length, and may reach up to 2 meters in some cases.

Habitat Type

This is a common, widespread species that lives on coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef.

Geographic Range

It can be found in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, ranging from Indonesia to New Caledonia.

Shelter Behavior

When it is not hunting or surfacing to breathe, the snake hides in small coves or protective coral areas.

Sexual Maturity

Males of this species reach sexual maturity in their third year, while females only reach maturity in their fourth or fifth year.

Courtship Behavior

Courtship typically involves a group of males competing for one female in open water.

Interaction with Divers

Male sea snakes sometimes approach divers, possibly because they mistake divers for female sea snakes.

Reproduction Process

Fertilization is internal, and gestation lasts around nine months.

Litter Size

Females usually give birth to up to five young at a time, though rare cases can produce ten or eleven young at once.

Life Expectancy

The life expectancy of the olive sea snake is around fifteen years, and is sometimes slightly longer.