Hydrophis [Kolpophis] annandalei (Laidlaw, 1901)

Annandale’s Sea Snake; Bigheaded Sea Snake

Distira annandalei Laidlaw, 1901:579, pl. 35.

Kolpophis annandalei, Smith, 1926:106, fig. 31.— David and Ineich, 1999:121.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:345.

Hydrophis [Kolpophis] annandalei, Leviton, Brown, and Siler, 2014:502 .

* As the authors stated in an earlier publication (Leviton, Brown, and Siler [2014:501–502]), David and Ineich (1999:104) reviewed the controversy surrounding the use of the name Hydrophis to include several nominal taxa, Disteira, Leioselasma, and Aturia that had been recognized by various authors. In so doing, they followed Rasmussen (1996), who also recommended recognizing Astrotia and Enhydrina as distinct genera. More recently, several phylogenetic studies have led to the abandoment of at least 10 heretofore recognized genera by placing them and their included species in the genus Hydrophis (Sanders et al. [2013]; Pyron et al. [2013]). Although we have adopted the newly proposed taxonomic arrangements here, we have also indicated where those changes have occurred by including in brackets [] the genus name to which the respective species had been previously assigned. It should be noted that the bracketed name does not imply a subgenus designation. The authors mistakenly assigned Microcephalophis gracilis to Hydrophis, neglecting to note that Sanders et al. (2013:584) specifically recommended continued recognition of Microcephalophis as a distinct genus from the Hydrophis core group to include M. gracilis and M. cantoris .

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Patani Bay, Malaysia Peninsula. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.17.56 (formerly BMNH 1926.10.18.1; fide Smith [1926:107]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION.— Philippines (not yet reported from the Philippines but has been reported from coastal waters of northern Borneo [Brunei] and Vietnam in the South China Sea as well as the Gulf of Thailand).

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Indonesia (Java), Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand (see David and Ineich [1999:121] for references).

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Data Deficient [2016] ver. 3.1.