Katuali
Laticauda schistorhyncha
A banded sea krait found only around the island of Niue in the South Pacific, known locally as the katuali.
- Venomous?
- Venomous
- Adult length
- 0.75-1.3 m (2.5-4.3 ft)
- Range
- Endemic to the coastal waters of Niue, South Pacific
Found a snake like this?
Identify any snake from a photo, free.
Overview
The katuali is a sea krait found exclusively in the waters around Niue, a small island nation in the South Pacific. Like other sea kraits it is amphibious, foraging at sea but returning to land to rest and reproduce.
Its confinement to a single small island makes it one of the most geographically restricted sea snakes in the world, and it holds cultural significance in Niuean tradition.
How to identify it
- Bluish-grey body with regularly spaced dark bands
- Flattened, paddle-shaped tail for swimming
- Enlarged belly scales that allow movement on land, unlike fully aquatic true sea snakes
- Distinctive snout scale arrangement giving the species its name
- Distinguished from other sea kraits by its restriction to Niue
Habitat & range
Found in coastal reef waters, crevices, and sea caves around the island of Niue, coming ashore onto rocky coastlines and into coastal caves to rest and lay eggs.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Hunts eels and other fish in reef crevices at sea, then returns to land to rest, digest, and lay eggs. Slow-moving and docile on land, it is not aggressive toward people despite its potent venom.
Frequently asked questions
Is the katuali dangerous?
It is venomous, but it is a docile, slow-moving species that rarely bites people.
Where does it live?
Only around the island of Niue in the South Pacific, making it a single-island endemic.
Does it lay eggs or give live birth?
As a sea krait, it comes ashore to lay eggs on land rather than bearing live young at sea.
What does it eat?
Mainly eels and other fish caught in reef crevices.
Katuali guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Katuali.
