Ecology Summary - Aipysurus laevis

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Ecology of Aipysurus laevis

Main Ref.	Ineich, I. and P. Laboute, 2002
Remarks	Found along seabeds but prefers coral reefs and can rarely be observed in outer reef slopes (Ref. 2353). It is a generalist feeder, swallowing prey found near the seabed (Ref. 2360) and feeds on several species of reef fish in size range, 3 to 15 cm, including small snappers (Lutjanus lutjanus and Lutjanus kasmira), catfish (Plotosus lineatus), red-barred shrimp (possibly Stenopus hispidus). Especially active at night and tends to attack anything bright and moving. It is a relatively curious and unaggressive snake but can be dangerous (Ref. 2352). Females are larger than males and are potentially more dangerous because of higher venom yield (Ref. 2359). Preyed upon by tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier).

Main Ref.

Ineich, I. and P. Laboute, 2002

Remarks

Found along seabeds but prefers coral reefs and can rarely be observed in outer reef slopes (Ref. 2353). It is a generalist feeder, swallowing prey found near the seabed (Ref. 2360) and feeds on several species of reef fish in size range, 3 to 15 cm, including small snappers (Lutjanus lutjanus and Lutjanus kasmira), catfish (Plotosus lineatus), red-barred shrimp (possibly Stenopus hispidus). Especially active at night and tends to attack anything bright and moving. It is a relatively curious and unaggressive snake but can be dangerous (Ref. 2352). Females are larger than males and are potentially more dangerous because of higher venom yield (Ref. 2359). Preyed upon by tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Aipysurus laevis may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: mobile; demersal;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats	Coral Reefs;
Special habitats Ref.	Ineich, I. and P. Laboute, 2002

Associations

Ref.	Minton, S.A. and W.A. Dunson, 1985
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Ineich, I. and P. Laboute, 2002
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Ineich, I. and P. Laboute, 2002

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	4.30	0.76			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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