4 .
‘ The Rennell Island Sea Krait appears to be
confined to Lake Te
Te’ ’ nngano , and clearly
evolved within this lake system. ’
While the Yellow-lipped Sea Krait is probably the
most common and abundant species encountered
in our region, Guinea’s Sea Krait (Laticauda
guinea), a similar species, was only recently (2005)
described from the southern coast of Papua. Little is
known of its distribution and ecology.
Lastly, it's important to acknowledge two further
dwarf sea krait species other than L. frontalis – both
of which have been briefly mentioned above. One is
a close relative of the widely-distributed Dark-lipped
Sea Snake and the only freshwater sea krait in the
world. The Rennell Island Sea Krait (L. crockeri) is
found solely in Lake Te’nngano at the eastern end
of Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands (an
isolated, raised coral atoll, the original lagoon of
which has now become a large, slightly brackish
lake). Generally dull brown in colour, many individu-
als of this sea krait species have faint darker bands
along their bodies, revealing their banded origins.
They clearly evolved within this lake system, despite
the fact that geologists and geomorphologists date
the lake as relatively recent. The Rennell Island Sea
5 .
1 .
Laticauda saintgironsi and disgorged eel. Signal Island,
New Caledonia.
2 .
The beautiful Dark-lipped Sea Krait. Noumea, New
Caledonia.
3 .
The Black-banded Sea Krait is the most heavy-bodied
of the sea kraits. Oriomote Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan.
4 .
Rennell Island Sea Krait, Lake Te’nngano, Solomon
Islands.
5 .
Lake Te’nngano (pictured) also has a population of
Yellow-lipped sea Kraits.