Sea Snake in Indonesian Waters Sets New Diving Record at 245 Meters

New insights into the behavior of sea snakes, which are widely found in tropical and subtropical waters of Indonesia and Southeast Asia, suggest that their deep-diving capabilities may far exceed previous estimations. For decades, research on sea snake behavior and distribution has primarily relied on observations in relatively shallow waters such as coral reefs and coastal areas. The common assumption was that sea snakes, being air-breathing reptiles, have natural limitations in diving to extreme depths. However, a study published in recent years challenges this notion. A record dive of 245 meters was documented for a sea snake off the coast of Western Australia, marking the deepest known dive for this group of reptiles. The record was captured by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the Browse Basin, North West Shelf, Australia, in 2014. ROVs are typically operated by the oil and gas industry for inspecting underwater infrastructure, and their footage has been utilized by researchers to observe fauna in depths difficult to access with shallow-water survey methods. While species-level identification was not possible from the footage, researchers classified the individual as belonging to the Hydrophis genus. This discovery indicates that sea snakes may be adapted to and forage in deep-sea environments to a greater extent than previously thought. Sea snakes are generally known to hunt prey near the seabed or in sediment, and similar behavior was observed in the individual diving to 245 meters. This finding offers a glimpse into the yet-to-be-fully-understood biodiversity within the vast marine ecosystems surrounding Indonesia and highlights the need for further research. Source: Mongabay Indonesia