Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake

(Pelamis platurus,) a reptile of the family Hydrophidae. The yellow-bellied sea snake reaches a length of 1 m. The dark brown upper part of the body contrasts sharply with the light lower portion. The smooth ribbonlike body ends in a paddle-shaped tail whose light coloration is marked with large black spots. The snake is common in the tropics from the eastern coast of Africa through the Indian and Pacific oceans to the western coast of the Americas. It feeds primarily on fish, which it kills with venom. The inhabitants of some islands use the yellow-bellied sea snake as food.