Turtle-headed Sea Snake

Emydocephalus annulatus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Emydocephalus
Species: Emydocephalus annulatus

The turtle-headed sea snake (Emydocephalus annulatus) is a stout sea snake with a short, blunt head that gives it its name. Its colour varies from black to banded cream and dark brown.

It feeds almost entirely on fish eggs, which it scrapes from the reef with enlarged scales on its lips. Its fangs and venom are greatly reduced, and it is not considered a threat to divers.

In the Philippines it is seen on shallow reefs, slowly nosing through crevices in search of fish nests.