Hydrophis elegans
Elegant Sea Snake at Port Macquarie, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Hydrophis elegans | 12 Aug 2025 | PatrickCampbell2 | ||
| Pseudonaja textilis | 11 Aug 2025 | CarbonAI | ||
| Unverified | 11 Aug 2025 | NJ |
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User's notes
I think it's a dubois sea snake, Aipysurus duboisii. Not sure though (not a species option when up loading) if it is, ALA has Coffs Harbour as the southern most recorded sighting for the species. Port Macquarie, Lighthouse Beach.. Sadly it was dead.
2 comments
PatrickCampbell2
wrote:
12 Aug 2025
This is an Elegant Sea Snake (Hydrophis elegans), characterised by a greatly elongated body and deep and compressed hind part in adults. The pattern and colouration on this specimen is also consistent with this species.
Whereas, Aipysurus duboisii is usually dark purplish-brown above with a reticulated pattern over the dorsal surface.
Whereas, Aipysurus duboisii is usually dark purplish-brown above with a reticulated pattern over the dorsal surface.
NJ
wrote:
12 Aug 2025
Thank you so much for the information and id. I have very little experience with sea snakes, so its much appreciated.
Location information
- Coordinates 152.929511-31.479353
- Altitude 29.0m
- Places Port Macquarie, NSW
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 11 Aug 2025 05:39 PM Recorded on
- NJ Recorded by
Collections
Species information
- Hydrophis elegans Scientific name
- Elegant Sea Snake Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 29m Recorded at altitude
Record quality
Quality score
5 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Additional attributes