The dangerously venomous Hydrophis stricticollis is found in Myanmar coastal waters from Rakhine State south to Gulf of Martaban, as well as along the east coast of India (from Orissa to Bengal) and Bangladesh. There are historical records from rivers in the Bago Division, but little is known about habitat preferences.
Leviton et al. (2003) provide a technical description of this species: Scales on thickest part of body subquadrangular or hexagonal in shape, feebly imbricate or juxtaposed; 8-11 maxillary teeth behind fangs; head small; body long and slender anteriorly, posteriorly 2.5 to 3 times thicker than anteriorly. 1 anterior temporal, rarely divided. 7-8 upper labials, second in contact with prefrontal, 3-4 border eye. 34-41 scale rows around neck, 45-55 around midbody; ventrals 374-452, distinct throughout, less than twice as large as adjacent body scales; grayish to olive above, yellowish below, with 45-65 dark bands, widest dorsally, disappearing with age. Head black or olive, yellow markings on snout and along sides of head. Total length: males 1050 mm, females 1050 mm; tail length: males 140 mm, females 90 mm.
