Northern mangrove seasnake | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Elapidae |
Genus: | Parahydrophis |
Species: | P. mertoni
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Binomial name | |
Parahydrophis mertoni (Roux, 1910)
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Synonyms[2] | |
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The northern mangrove seasnake (Parahydrophis mertoni), also known commonly as the Arafura smooth seasnake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to Australia and New Guinea.
The specific name, mertoni, is in honor of German zoologist Hugo Merton.[3]
Parahydrophis mertoni is found in Northern Australia[4] in Northern Territory and Queensland. It is also found in New Guinea in the Arafura Sea.[2]
Parahydrophis mertoni is blackish-olive with about 46 yellow rings on the body and ten on the tail. The head shields are spotted with yellow, except for the rostral and labials which are black.[5]
Parahydrophis mertoni is viviparous.[2]