Although an eel and sea snake look very similar there are some remarkable differences between them. Eels are fish and use gills to breathe, whereas sea snakes are reptiles and use their lungs.
Most sea snakes have a paddle like tail, which they use to propel themselves through the water.
Sea snakes also moult their skin frequently to grow and to aid in the removal of parasites from their skin. Sea snakes are air breathing reptiles, which all have venom glands and fangs to capture prey, including some species which are dangerous to humans. Eels are not venomous, although they can give a nasty bite while protecting their territory. There are over 50 species of marine snakes in the world, and with few exceptions they are generally confined to the tropical areas of the Indian and Pacific oceans moving up to the Persian Gulf, throughout Asia, and extending from Africa to America, from Siberia to Tasmania. It should be noted however that sea snakes are not found in the Atlantic Ocean.