Viviparous sea snakes can be used as bioindicators for diverse marine environments

Shallow tropical marine ecosystems are under great anthropogenic pressure due to habitat destruction, overfishing, shrimping, climate change, and tourism. This is an issue of global concern as such environments hold a tremendous biodiversity much which remains be described. The present situation urgently calls for time- resource-efficient methods identify delineate the most valuable remaining areas set up priorities their management conservation. Using indicator species can way accomplish this goal. In paper we evaluate whether viviparous sea snakes serve bioindicators other rare or cryptic fauna. Based on seven generally acknowledged criteria bioindicators, argue that using help monitoring habitats gauge effects change loss, decline in changes. However, maximize efficacy deeper knowledge about natural history needed. Topics expanded research programs include taxonomy some groups, breeding feeding biology, selection geographical distribution. Despite these gaps our understanding, utilized ecosystem health. KEYWORDS: changes, conservation, herpetology, habitat,