Emydocephalus ijimae
| Emydocephalus ijimae | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Elapidae |
| Genus: | Emydocephalus |
| Species: | E. ijimae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Emydocephalus ijimae Stejneger, 1898
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Emydocephalus ijimae, also called commonly Ijima's sea snake and the turtlehead sea snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae.[1][2] The species occurs in East Asia, in the shallow coastal waters of the Northwest Pacific Ocean.[1] E. ijimae feeds exclusively on the eggs of coral reef fishes, which makes it an important predator for maintaining a healthy coral reef ecosystem.[3]
Etymology[edit]
The specific name, ijimae, is in honor of Japanese zoologist Isao Ijima (1861–1921).[4]
Geographic range[edit]
E. ijimae is found off the coasts of China, Japan (including the Ryukyu Islands), and Taiwan.[1][2]
Sex and growth[edit]
E. ijimae exhibits sexual size dimorphism with males reaching a snout-to-vent length (SVL) typically less than 75 cm (30 in) and females sometimes exceeding 80 cm (31 in). Females also have a larger body weight (BW) of 170–600 g (6.0–21.2 oz) compared to the males which weigh 70–350 g (2.5–12.3 oz). The female BW also experiences greater fluctuations than the male BW. Adult males typically see an increase in BW from early spring to late summer and females occasionally undergo a rapid BW decrease from late autumn to early spring followed by a steady weight regain.[3]
SVL in newborn E. ilijmae is 266–342 mm (10.5–13.5 in). Neonate males have been reported to grow 0.27 mm/day while neonate females grow 0.36 mm/day. The snakes reach maturity around the same age: Between 19 and 28 months for males and between 19 and 26 months for females.[3]
Reproduction[edit]
E. ijimae is viviparous.[2] Neonates begin reproductive activity in the second or third summer and third spring after birth. Studies have suggested that E. ijimae is an income breeder that relies on temporal energy intake to produce offspring.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Lukoschek, V.; Sanders, K. (2010). "Emydocephalus ijimae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T176706A7286976. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T176706A7286976.en. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Emydocephalus ijimae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 3 September 2022.
- ^ a b c d Masunaga, Gen; Hidetoshi, Ota (2003). "Growth and reproduction of the sea snake, Emydocephalus ijimae, in the Central Ryukyus, Japan: a mark and recapture study". Zoological Science. 20 (4): 461–470. doi:10.2108/zsj.20.461. PMID 12719649. S2CID 13013132.
- ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Emydocephalus ijimae, p. 129).
Further reading[edit]
- Stejneger L (1898). "On a Collection of Batrachians and Reptiles from Formosa and Adjacent Islands". Journal of the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo, Japan 12 (3): 215–225. (Emydocephalus ijimae, new species, p. 223).
- Stejneger L (1907). Herpetology of Japan and Adjacent Territory. United States National Museum Bulletin 58. Washington, District of Columbia: Smithsonian Institution. xx + 577 pp. (Emydocephalus ijimae, pp. 413–417, Figures 334–337).
- Wall F (1909). "A Monograph of the Sea Snakes". Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 2 (8): 169–251 + Plates VII–X. (Emydocephalus ijimæ, p. 187, Figure 4, three views of head).
External links[edit]
- Photos of Emydocephalus ijimae on Sealife Collection