About Laticauda saintgironsi Cogger & Heatwole, 2006
Laticauda saintgironsi displays sexual dimorphism, where females reach a larger size than males. The maximum recorded snout-to-vent length (SVL) for males of this species is 81.7 cm (32.2 in), while the maximum recorded SVL for females is 109 cm (43 in). The upper lip of this species is yellow or cream-colored, and its rostral scale is undivided. This species can be distinguished from related species by the combination of its yellow upper lip (a trait it shares with the yellow-lipped sea krait) and 21 rows of mid-body scales. In contrast, the yellow-lipped sea krait has 23 banded scale rows that meet at the ventral side of its body. Laticauda saintgironsi is endemic to New Caledonia, including the Loyalty Islands. It is only found very rarely outside of its native range; a single specimen was recorded in New Zealand in 1925. This limited dispersal is likely because Laticauda species typically stay onshore or in shallow water, which reduces their chance of being carried away by oceanic currents. The natural habitats of Laticauda saintgironsi are marine, intertidal, and supratidal environments, ranging from a depth of 80 m (260 ft) below sea level to an altitude of 100 m (330 ft) above sea level. Laticauda saintgironsi is an oviparous species.
