Venom effects and medical significance are different from toxicity rankings. Do not handle a snake on the basis of this summary.
A small head and thin front of the body contrast with a thicker hindbody. The cited description gives a dark head and neck with pale lateral markings. Its atlas account links 3 named island or island-group records to the source literature.
OccurrenceConfirmed
Islands named3
Natural history5 sourced topics
References3
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
Reproduction
The species account records live-bearing reproduction, using the term ovoviviparous. A verified Philippine litter-size range and reproductive calendar are not established here.
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
Ecology & habitat
The account records a marine habitat. Island names on the map identify reported coastal areas; they are not land occupancy or a boundary of the species’ marine range.
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
Taxonomic context
Hydrophis atriceps is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Elapidae. The authority is GÜNTHER 1864. Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
Venomous · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
Venomous!
Synonymy after COGGER 1983.
The original description is available online (see link below).
Distribution: not in Singapore or not established there (Figueroa et al. 2023). All references to H. atriceps from the Bay of Bengal are most probably H. fasciatus, with which H. atriceps has long been associated. Does not occur in the waters of Myanmar fide LEVITON et al. (2003).
Habitat: marine.
References attached to this record
2026
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026
Hydrophis atriceps — The Reptile Database species account
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.