Conservation genetics of sea snakes (Family Hydrophiidae) in Australian waters, with emphasis on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (C1.4.1S)

Task leader: Ms Vimoksalehi Lukoschek, CRC Reef and James Cook University.

Task associate: Dr Leanne Fernandes, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority .

At present, there are no management strategies that specifically target sea snake conservation in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, although some protection is afforded through marine protected areas. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is however currently developing a new management plan for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the representative areas program. Information generated by this project, regarding the overall genetic diversity of sea snake species, and the spatial scale at which population genetic structure occurs, will be used to assess the potential effectiveness of the marine protected areas established by the representative areas program, as a management strategy for ensuring viable populations of sea snakes in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. It will also provide a useful starting point for formulating specific management plans for vulnerable sea snake species, and in particular it will indicate the size and spatial scale of distribution of protected areas required to ensure the conservation of hydrophiid sea snakes.

The specific aims of this project are to investigate the population genetic structure of two species of hydrophiid sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis and Hydrophis elegans at a number of spatial scales. Mitochondrial DNA sequencing and microsatellite genetic markers will be used to investigate the population genetic structure and gene flow to determine individual relatedness within a population; between populations at the inter-reef level; between sectors throughout the geographic range of the GBRWHA; and between the east and west coasts of Australia. Genotypic information will be augmented by comparing historical and current distribution patterns of Aipysurus laevis within the Swain Reefs complex. Finally, this project will determine the species level phylogenetic relationships of the Australasian representatives of the Family Hydrophiidae as a means of assessing their biodiversity value.