Yellow-bellied Sea Snake

The yellow-bellied sea snake is an extremely venomous sea snake found in tropical oceanic waters around the world except for the Atlantic Ocean. For many years it was placed in its own genus, Pelamis, but molecular evidence now places it within Hydrophis. Linnaeus described it in 1766 as Anguis platura. The specific name combines Ancient Greek words for flat and tail, referring to its flattened tail (Wikipedia, general species account).

Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012, listed as Pelamis platurus).