Feeding Habits of the Annulated Sea Snake, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, in the Persian Gulf
We studied the diet of the Annulated Sea Snake (Hydrophis cyanocinctus) in the mangrove habitat of the Iranian Hara Protected Area. Prey items consumed by 34 individual snakes included four species of gobiid fish. Mudskippers (Periophthalmus waltoni, Boleophthalmus dussumieri, and Scartelaos tenuis) comprised the vast majority of the diet. All prey items were ingested head first. There was a positive correlation between snake SVL and total length of prey, but large snakes also ate small prey. Snake neck diameter was correlated positively with maximum prey diameter, and snakes did not consume prey items with a maximum diameter more than 1.2 times their neck diameter, a characteristic that may indicate gape limitation.Abstract
Relationship between prey body size (TL) and snake body size (SVL) in Annulated Sea Snake (all snakes contained intact prey items: N = 10, and all intact prey items: N = 15; Spearman rho = 0.683, P = 0.02).
Relationship between prey maximum diameter and neck diameter in Annulated Sea Snake (all snakes contained intact prey items: N = 10, and intact prey items: N = 10; Spearman rho = 0.634, P = 0.05). Note that for snakes with multiple prey items only the largest individual prey item is shown in this graph.
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