Abstract
An intensive search for marine snakes was carried out in the course of a five week cruise among the Philippine Islands in August and September of 1975. The Visayan Sea was by far the most productive area found, especially near the Gigante Islands. In this area it appears that 12 species are sympatric on shoals of 5-20 meters depth. A 13th species (Cerberus), a mangrove form, is found nearby. Two hydrophiid species, Hydrophis ornatus and Laticauda semifasciata are numerically dominant on the offshore shoals; the former is nocturnal and the latter diurnal. In the mangroves the nocturnal colubrid Cerberus rhynchops and the acrochordid Acrochordus granulatus were common. Laticauda colubrina was a nocturnal shallow water reef and mangrove form. No snakes were found in shallow coastal waters of the Sulu Sea which appear superficially to be suitable habitat. Two individuals of Astrotia stokesii caught at the Gigante Islands represent the first record of this species in the Philippines. * * *
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