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Hydrophis

genus of reptiles (most venomous snake)

Specimen drawers, botanical folios and brass scientific instruments under study light
Science and natureInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionMay 17, 2026
Entity authorityQ152504 ↗
Source-derived summary

Hydrophis is a genus of sea snakes, venomous snakes in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. Species in the genus Hydrophis are typically found in Indo-Australian and Southeast Asian waters. Currently, around 36 species are recognized as being valid.

Systematics and classification

There are more than 30 recognized species in the genus.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Hydrophis.

See also

Sea snake

Snakebite

References

Further reading

Zug, George R. [in German]; Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (May 2001). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (Second ed.). Academic Press. p.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Hydrophis” as genus of reptiles (most venomous snake). Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA practical orientation to terminology and classification, particularly when read beside dated observations, specimens or technical literature. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—2001—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where Hydrophis, genus and reptiles can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as genus of reptiles (most venomous snake). Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 17, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q152504. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2001.

Critical limits

Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.

Best used for
  • Current terminology
  • Classification context
  • Finding cited technical literature
Verify next

Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Hydrophis”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Hydrophis primary sources, Hydrophis archive and Hydrophis research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Hydrophis”?
  2. Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
  3. Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Subject index

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Hydrophis” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.