Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia Yellow-lipped Sea Krait Laticauda
Colubrina This species is the most widespread of the sea
kraits—a group of four closely related species that lay eggs on
land, instead of giving birth at sea. It has a pale blue body,
marked with eye-catching dark blue rings, and distinctive yellow
lips, which give it its common name. The yellow-lipped sea krait
feeds on fish in shallow water, and although it has highly
potent venom, it presents very little danger to humans because
it is not aggressive and even when handled it rarely bites.
Unlike many other marine snakes, sea kraits have large ventral
scales that give them good traction when they crawl, allowing
them to move around comfortably on land. During the breeding
season, they come ashore in large numbers to mate and lay
clutches of up to 20 eggs. Once they have hatched, the young
make their way to the shallows, before dispersing along coasts
and out to sea.