The World Record for the Most Venomous Sea Snake

All 50 of the world's sea snakes are venomous, but the most venomous - and, indeed, the most venomous snake in the world - is probably the sea snake Hydrophis belcheri of the Australo-Pacific region (particularly common in the waters around Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, off northwest Australia). It has a myotoxic venom many times more effective than any land snake. However, fatalities are rare since the potency of the venom is matched only by the snakes friendly temperament (it has to be subjected to severe treatment before it can be induced to bite) and because people and sea snakes rarely encounter one another. Most bites are of fishermen handling nets - and even then only about 25% of those bitten ever show signs of poisoning, since the snake rarely injects much of its venom.

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