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Diversity, distribution, and natural history of the marine snakes of Sri Lanka

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Abstract

Marine snakes comprise 90% of all marine reptiles, yet they are the least known of all marine reptiles. Among the marine snakes, very little is known about the marine snakes of the Indian Ocean (IO) compared to the marine snake fauna of the Indo-West Pacific (IWP). Hence, there is a dearth of information about the diversity, systematics, distribution, abundance, natural history, and conservation of IO marine snakes. Therefore, to gain insights to the IO marine snake fauna, we conducted a systematic survey on the marine snakes in the island of Sri Lanka, a central tropical location in the IO. Eight sites around the island were sampled for fisheries by-catch from 2010 to the end of 2012. The study documented 14 species (Acrochordidae 1, Homalopsidae 2, Elapidae (Hydrophiinae) 11) of marine snakes from Sri Lankan waters. Our by-catch data indicates that Acrochordus granulatus, Hydrophis curtus, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, Hydrophis schistosus, Hydrophis spiralis, and Hydrophis viperinus are highly abundant (n>20). Further, data demonstrates that the most widely distributed species in Sri Lankan waters are H. spiralis and H. curtus. However, high volumes of marine snakes in fisheries by-catch indicate that fishing-related mortality is a major threat to marine snakes of Sri Lanka. Given the distinct evolutionary history of these snakes in the IO and the unique conservation value, the IO marine snake fauna (inclusive of Sri Lankan marine snakes) should be considered a separate conservation management unit.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka, for the research and tissue exportation permits (WL/3/2/1/14/12). We are grateful to many fishermen all over the island for their kind assistance and hospitality. Naval Officers including Lt. Commander Pradeep Bandara of Sri Lanka Navy are gratefully acknowledged for their cooperation and hospitality at many sites. We appreciate the assistance given by Manori Goonetilake and Chandrika Munasinghe at the National Museum of Sri Lanka and the officials at the National Wildlife Research and Training Center at Girithale during specimen deposition. Our sincere thanks go to our colleagues Imesh Nuwan Bandara, Chamara Amarasinghe, Gajaba Ellepola, Pushpalingam Surenthar, Kamalakkannan Rahavan, and Tharmeka Selvaraja for accompanying us in the field, collecting specimens, and for the long hours spent processing and preserving specimens. We are highly grateful to Ralph Foster (South Australian Museum) for identifying the fish in marine snake diet and Krishantha Sameera De Zoysa for preparing the map. Jakob Hallermann is gratefully acknowledged from providing some important literature. The Australian Research Council and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund are thanked for funding this study. Finally, we appreciate the editor and two anonymous reviewers for on their comments on the manuscript. We are grateful to Sanjaya Bandara for proof reading the manuscript.

Funding

This survey on the marine snakes of Sri Lanka was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant to KLS and a Mohomed Bin Zayed species conservation grant to AdeS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    K. D. B. Ukuwela & K. L. Sanders

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, 50300, Sri Lanka

    K. D. B. Ukuwela

  3. Amphibia & Reptile Research Organization of Sri Lanka, 15/1 Dolosbage Road, Gampola, Sri Lanka

    A. de Silva

  4. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The University of Jaffna, Thirunavely, Jaffna, 40000, Sri Lanka

    A. Sivaruban

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  1. K. D. B. Ukuwela
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Contributions

KDBU, AdeS, and KLS conceived the study. AdeS and KLS obtained funding for the study. KDBU, AdeS, KLS, and AS conducted fieldwork. KDBU generated the data and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All other authors contributed to the writing.

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Correspondence to K. D. B. Ukuwela.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed by the authors.

Sampling and field studies

Sampling and field studies were carried out with permission from the Department of wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka (Permit No: WL/3/2/1/14/12).

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Communicated by R. Thiel

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Ukuwela, K.D.B., de Silva, A., Sivaruban, A. et al. Diversity, distribution, and natural history of the marine snakes of Sri Lanka. Mar. Biodivers. 52, 24 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-022-01259-3

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