The genus is one of a small group of the viviparous sea snakes (Hydrophiinae: Hydrophiini) with Aipysurus.

Unlike most sea snakes, the species that make up Emydocephalus lack teeth on their dentary and palatine bones.

The dentary and palantine bones bear only a row of papillae.

Emydocephalus does, however, bear fangs and many small pterygoid teeth.

[2] This reduced dentition is due to their diet consisting almost entirely of fish eggs.