AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD - Calodema

Australian Biodiversity Record, 2007 (8): 1-124It produces anywhere from 1 to 17 young in a brood (with averages of about 6 in Australia,and only about 3 in Asia). Interestingly, larger specimens tend to have larger numbers ofyoung in the Australian part of the range, but in Asia the number of offspring is not related tofemale size.Toxicity: This is a fast swimming species that rarely attempts to bite under normalcircumstances, but caution should nevertheless be exerted, because its venom is highly toxicto humans. There have been a number of fatalities recorded from the bite of this species, sourgent medical attention should always be sought in the event of an envenomation. See forinstance Tamiya, Maeda, and Cogger (1983).Survival Status: Protected under the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974)but not listed in that State as a Threatened Species in any of the Schedules of the NSWThreatened Species Conservation Act (1995). Also protected under the Victorian Wildlife Act(1975) but not listed as threatened in the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988)],the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992), the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act(1998), the Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife Act (1970) and the WA WildlifeConservation Act 1950 (as amended). Listed as a Marine Protected Species under theAustralian Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). Probably notunder threat, but its restricted distribution in Australian waters and the huge numbers of thisspecies killed as bycatch in fishing and prawn trawling operations could potentially make itvulnerable in some parts of its range.Etymology: The name 'ornata' means 'adorned' and refers to the body pattern of the species.The name ‘ocellata’ refers to the ocellate pattern along the lower lateral of the body in youngspecimens.Final Taxonomic Note: Storr, Smith and Johnstone (1986, 2002) used the name Hydrophisocellatus for this species, but this has generally been ignored. However, in my opinion theAustralian population long regarded as Hydrophis ornatus should be hereafter referred to thespecies called Hydrophis ocellata by Gray, in 1849. Consequently, this necessitates the useof the new combination of Chitulia ocellata (Gray, 1849) for the population in Australia.Genus Disteira Lacepede, 1804Disteira Lacépède, B.G.E. (1804) : Ann. Mus. Natl Hist. Nat. Paris 4: 184-211 [p. 210]. Typespecies: Disteira doliata Lacépède, 1804 by monotypy.Distira Boulenger, G.A. (1896): Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. [p. 285] [invalid emend. pro DisteiraLacépède, 1804].Melanomystax Wall, F. (1921): Ophidia Taprobanica or the Snakes of Ceylon. [p. 381]. Typespecies: Hydrophis nigrocinctus Daudin, 1803 by monotypy.Diagnosis: A genus of marine snakes with four described species (of which two occur inAustralian waters) in the Family Hydrophiidae and readily separated from all other genera bythe following combination of characters: Head small, body form elongate to moderatelyrobust; head shields enlarged and symmetrical; less than 10 maxillary teeth following fang;valvular nostrils and lingual fossa; mental shield triangular, broader than long; mental groovepresent and shallow, but distinct; mental shield not partially hidden in the mental groove; bodyscales imbricate and keeled dorsally, but smooth laterally; ventrals small and only slightlylarger than body scales; ventrals mostly undivided, never as foliform scales and never forminga mid-ventral keel; tail strongly compressed vertically, paddle-like; prefrontal in contact withsecond supralabial; ovoviviparous. Content: Disteira kingii (Boulenger, 1896); Disteira major(Shaw, 1802); Disteira nigrocincta (Daudin, 1803); Disteira walli Kharin, 1989; Content inAustralia: Disteira kingii (Boulenger, 1896); Disteira major (Shaw, 1802).30