502 
THE CORAL TRIANGLE: HEARST BIODIVERSITY EXPEDITION 
been recognized by various authors. In so doing, they followed Rasmussen (1996), who also rec¬ 
ommended recognizing yf5^r(9//a and Enhydrina as distinct genera. More recently, several phyloge¬ 
netic studies have led to the abandoment of at least 10 heretofore recognized genera by placing 
them and their included species in the genus Hydrophis (Sanders et al. 2013; Pyron et al. 2013). 
Although we have adopted the newly proposed taxonomic arrangements here, we have also indi¬ 
cated where those changes have occurred by including in brackets [ ] the genus name to which 
the respective species had been previously assigned. It should be noted that the bracketed name 
does not imply a subgenus designation.. 
In the descriptions that follow, body lengths, that is total lengths and tail lengths, are for the 
largest specimens we have found recorded, mostly as recorded by Smith (1926) but adjusted if 
more recent information were available. 
Hydrophis [Kolpophis] annandalei (Laidlaw, 1901) 
Annandale’s Sea Snake 
Distira annandalei Laidlaw, 1901:579, pi. 35. 
Kolpophis annandalei. Smith, 1926:106.— David and Ineich, 1999:121. 
Description. — Body short, stout, gi*eatest body diameter not quite twice that of neck; head 
large, with nasal and prefrontal scales usually divided; supraocular, frontal, and parietals entire, the 
latter usually separated by small scales; 9-11 upper labials, often fragmented; temporals small, 
irregular; lower labials, small or indistinct and separated from labial margin by small scales; scale 
rows: around neck 62-82, around midbody 74-93, hexagonal, juxtaposed or subimbricate, smooth 
or with short keel; ventrals distinct throughout, 320-368; precloacal scales enlarged. (After Smith 
1926:106.) 
Size. — Total length (cj) 910 mm; tail length (cJ) 120 mm. 
Distribution. — Philippines (not yet reported from the Philippines but has been reported 
from coastal waters of northern Borneo [Brunei] and Vietnam in the South China Sea as well as the 
Gulf of Thailand), Elsewhere: Indonesia (Java), Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand (see David and 
Ineich 1999:121 for references). 
Hydrophis [Thalassophis] anomalus Schmidt, 1852 
Anomalous Sea Snake 
Thalassophis anomalus Schmidt, 1852:81.— Smith, 1926:104.— David and Ineich, 1999:197.— Stuebing 
and Inger, 1999:221. 
Description. — Head short; above, rostral fragmented into 4-5 small scales; nasals separated 
by elongate scales; frontal small, sometimes divided; one pre- and two postoculars; temporals 2 or 
3 anterior, three posterior scales, small, scarcely larger than adjacent scales; 6-7 upper labials, sec¬ 
ond usually in contact with prefrontal, 3-5 bordering orbit of eye; 4 lower labials in contact with 
sublabials; 27-30 scale rows around neck, 31-35 at midbody, posterior scales hexagonal in shape, 
juxtaposed and keeled; ventrals scarcely broader than adjacent scales, 210-256, bicarinate; pre¬ 
cloacal scales slightly enlarged. 
Size.— Total length (cJ) 810 mm, (5) 755; tail length (cJ) 90 mm, ($) 85 mm. 
Distribution. — Philippines (not yet reported from coastal Philippine waters but one record 
for the northern coast of Borneo [Brunei] and elsewhere in the Gulf of Thailand). Elsewhere: 
Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Moluccas), Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. 
