Elapidae · Philippine record
Laticauda laticaudata(LINNAEUS 1758)
Venom: Basic classification explicitly recorded in the species account. Detailed effects and medical significance have not yet been summarised here.
Species account, Comments
Venom effects and medical significance are different from toxicity rankings. Do not handle a snake on the basis of this summary.
The account records a marine habitat. Island names on the map identify reported coastal areas; they are not land occupancy or a boundary of the species’ marine range. Its atlas account links 1 named island or island-group record to the source literature.
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Explore the island records ↓Species portrait
Laticauda laticaudata
Image to followThe illustrated collection
Adult · study plate
Laticauda laticaudata
Image to followJuvenile · study plate
Laticauda laticaudata
Image to followLife stages will be labelled from the contributor’s information. Images alone do not establish identification or a locality record.
Media provenance
Contributor images are forthcoming. Photographs and illustrations will retain their individual credits, permissions and evidence notes.
A closer look
The species account records egg-laying reproduction. A verified Philippine clutch-size range, incubation interval and breeding calendar are not established here.
Literature documented · Reproduction field
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
The account records a marine habitat. Island names on the map identify reported coastal areas; they are not land occupancy or a boundary of the species’ marine range.
Literature documented · Comment: Habitat
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
The atlas records Laticauda laticaudata from these named Philippine areas: Cebu. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
Literature documented · Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
The original evidence level is retained.
A country listing cannot establish an island or a precise locality.
Laticauda laticaudata is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Elapidae. The authority is (LINNAEUS 1758). Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
Literature documented · Checklist identity and nomenclatural trail
Checklist verified 2026-09-05; not a newly revised taxonomic backbone.
Historical names can cover different biological concepts; synonyms should not be used to transfer records automatically.
Across the archipelago
Coastal records: blue outlines
Blue outlines locate coastal records, not land occupancy or marine range boundaries.
Philippine distribution
Select an island to read its distribution record and sources. Uncoloured islands are not evidence of absence.
Indian Ocean: E India (incl Nicobar islands, Andaman Islands), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (= Burma), Thailand, Indonesia (Borneo), Philippines: Cebu) China (Fujian), Taiwan, Bay of Bengal coasts of Malaysian Peninsula and Indoaustralian Archiipelago to Papua New Guinea, Japan, South Korea, Pacific Ocean, Polynesia, Melanesia, Solomon Islands [McCoy 2000], New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji Australia (Queensland) affinis: India; Type locality: “Fallahs Mullah, a tidal stream, Calcutta” Type locality: “Indiis”
The atlas records Laticauda laticaudata from these named Philippine areas: Cebu. These are literature areas rather than a continuous range boundary.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines: A Synthesis of Data from Biodiversity Repositories, Field Studies, and the Literature ↗Existing checklist occurrence statement and distribution review
References attached to this species account. Island-specific evidence is shown separately where available.
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026 ↗
Laticauda laticaudata — The Reptile Database species account ↗
Living with wildlife
Venomous · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
WHO guidance on snakebite first aidSpecies record
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Indian Ocean: E India (incl Nicobar islands, Andaman Islands), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (= Burma), Thailand, Indonesia (Borneo), Philippines: Cebu) China (Fujian), Taiwan, Bay of Bengal coasts of Malaysian Peninsula and Indoaustralian Archiipelago to Papua New Guinea, Japan, South Korea, Pacific Ocean, Polynesia, Melanesia, Solomon Islands [McCoy 2000], New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji Australia (Queensland) affinis: India; Type locality: “Fallahs Mullah, a tidal stream, Calcutta” Type locality: “Indiis”
Names through time
Coluber laticaudatus LINNAEUS 1758: 222 (part.) Laticauda scutata LAURENTI 1768: 109 Platurus laurenti RAFINESQUE 1817: 432 (non Platurus laurenti DAUDIN 1803) Platurus laticaudatus — GIRARD 1858: 180 Platurus fischeri JAN 1859: 149 Platurus muelleri BOULENGER 1896: 309 Platurus laticaudatus — WALL 1906: 57 Platurus laticaudatus — WALL 1909: 185 Laticauda laticaudata — STEJNEGER 1907: 402 Laticauda laticaudata — COGGER 1983: 258 Laticauda laticaudata — WELCH 1994: 71 Laticauda laticaudata — COGGER 2000: 724 Laticauda laticaudata — RASMUSSEN et al. 2011 Laticauda laticaudata — WALLACH et al. 2014: 364 Laticauda laticaudata — WANG et al. 2022 Laticauda laticaudata affinis (ANDERSON 1871) Platurus fischeri — ANDERSON 1871: 189 Platurus affinis ANDERSON 1871: 190 Laticauda laticaudata affinis — MAKI 1931 Laticauda laticaudata affinis — DAS 1998: 153 Laticauda laticaudata laticaudata (LINNAEUS 1758) Coluber laticaudatus LINNAEUS 1758 Platurus laticaudatus — BOULENGER 1896
Venomous! Synonymy mostly after COGGER 1983. Laticauda laticaudata wolffi (VOLSØE 1956) is now considered as a synonym of L. crockeri. Smith (1926) regards P. laurenti as a substitute name, but there is no indication of this in the original description, nor does Smith indicate the name being substituted (fide COGGER 1983). The validity of L. l. affinis has been considered doubtful (Stejneger 1907; McCarthy 1986) and most recent authors don’t seem to recognize subspecies. Anderson 1871 described Platurus fischeri, but says as a final remark “If this form should prove to be new, I would indicate it as P. affinis”. Type species: Coluber laticaudatus LINNAEUS 1758 or Laticauda scutata LAURENTI 1768 is the type species of the genus Laticauda LAURENTI 1768. Key: see Heatwole et al. 2005: 98 for a key to the species of Laticauda. Sexual dimorphism: see Heatwole et al. 2005: 106 for a discussion of sexual dimorphism in Laticauda. Habitat: marine. Distribution: See map in Gherghel et al. 2016, Heatwole et al. 2017, Kishida et al. 2020. Reference images: see Uetz et al. 2024 for high-resolution reference images for this species.
Uetz, P.; Freed, P.; Aguilar, R.; Reyes, F.; Kudera, J.; Hošek, J. (eds.)
Leviton, A. E.; Siler, C. D.; Weinell, J. L.; Brown, R. M.
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64(14): 399–568
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.