About Emydocephalus ijimae Stejneger, 1898
Emydocephalus ijimae, commonly called Ijima's sea snake or turtlehead sea snake, is a species of snake in the elapid family Elapidae. This species lives in shallow coastal waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean, in the East Asia region. It can be found off the coasts of China, Japan (including the Ryukyu Islands), and Taiwan. E. ijimae feeds only on the eggs of coral reef fish, a diet that makes it an important predator for maintaining healthy coral reef ecosystems. E. ijimae is viviparous, meaning it gives birth to live young. Newborn individuals begin reproductive activity during their second or third summer and third spring after birth. Research indicates that E. ijimae is an income breeder, meaning it relies on newly acquired energy intake over time to produce its offspring.
