Wildlifeof China
Black-banded Sea Krait
Cobras, Kraits & Sea Snakes
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · CC BY-SA 2.5
Laticauda semifasciata
Basic stats
Diet
Hidden fish such as moray eels, found in reef crevices
Habitat
Coral reefs; nocturnal; lays eggs on land
Range
Coasts of the South China Sea, Taiwan and South Korea
Size
Up to 170 cm
The black-banded sea krait (Laticauda semifasciata), also called the Chinese sea snake or erabu, is a largely amphibious and extremely venomous marine snake of the cobra family. The Reptile Database records it off the coasts of Fujian and Liaoning in China, Taiwan and South Korea. (The Reptile Database; Wikipedia, general species account)
It can reach 170 cm in total length. It hunts by exploring small spaces in coral reefs for hidden fish such as moray eels, sometimes in groups, and is nocturnal and rarely seen by day. Females lay 3–7 eggs on land, which hatch after 4–5 months. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Quick answers
- What does the Black-banded Sea Krait eat?
- Hidden fish such as moray eels, found in reef crevices
- What habitat does the Black-banded Sea Krait live in?
- Coral reefs; nocturnal; lays eggs on land
- Where is the Black-banded Sea Krait found?
- Coasts of the South China Sea, Taiwan and South Korea
- How big is the Black-banded Sea Krait?
- Up to 170 cm