| Fornasini's blind snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Typhlopidae |
| Genus: | Afrotyphlops |
| Species: | A. fornasinii |
| Binomial name | |
| Afrotyphlops fornasinii Bianconi, 1849 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Fornasini's blind snake (Afrotyphlops fornasinii) is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. [2] [3] [4] The species is endemic to southern Africa. [5]
The specific name fornasinii is in honor of Carlo Antonio Fornasini, merchant and amateur naturalist from Bologna, Italy, who collected the type specimen in Mozambique. [6] He should not be confused with Carlo Fornasini (1854–1931), Italian paleontologist and politician.
Fornasini's blind snake has been found in southern Mozambique, South Africa (Zululand), and southeastern Zimbabwe. [2] [5]
A. fornasinii is completely gray or black, except for some yellowish on the throat and the ventral surface of the tail. Adults may attain a snout–vent length (SVL) of 18 cm (7 inches). The scales are arranged in 22–27 rows around the body. There are fewer than 300 scales in the vertebral row. [5]
The snout is very prominent, rounded, somewhat flattened, with a trilobate horizontal outline. The rostral is large, about half the width of the head, the portion visible from above almost as long as broad. The nostrils are located ventrally. The nasal is incompletely divided, the nasal cleft proceeding from the first upper labial. The scales on the upper surface of the head are enlarged. A preocular is present, in contact with the second upper labial. The preocular is slightly narrower than the nasal or the ocular. The eyes are barely distinguishable. There are four upper labials. The diameter of the body goes 23 to 30 times into the total length. The tail is short, slightly broader than long, ending in a spine. [7]
A very small snake, A. fornasinii prefers grasslands and coastal bush. [5] It is also found in shrubland and savanna up to an altitude of 450 m (1,480 ft). [1]
A. fornasinii is terrestrial and fossorial, burrowing under leaf litter and logs. [1]
Letheobia simonii is a blind snake species endemic to the Middle East. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Elapotinus is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged snake species, Elapotinus picteti. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It is also known commonly as Jan's snake in honor of Italian herpetologist Giorgio Jan. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Hypoptophis is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) venomous snake species, Hypoptophis wilsonii. The species, which is endemic to Africa, is in the subfamily Aparallactinae of the family Atractaspididae. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Macrelaps is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) venomous snake species, M. microlepidotus, endemic to South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
The Cameroon racer, Poecilopholis cameronensis, is a species of rear-fanged venomous snake endemic to Africa. Poecilopholis is a monotypic genus created for this species.
Polemon acanthias, or Reinhardt's snake-eater, is a species of venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. It is endemic to Africa.
Xenocalamus bicolor, also known commonly as the bicoloured quill-snouted snake and the slender quill-snouted snake, is a species of venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Atractaspididae. The species is endemic to Africa. Four subspecies are recognized as being valid.
Leptotyphlops nigricans, also known as the black threadsnake or black worm snake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. It is endemic to Africa.
Aparallactus capensis, or the Cape centipede-eater, is a species of venomous rear-fanged snake in the Atractaspididae family.
Aparallactus modestus, or the western forest centipede-eater, is a species of venomous rear-fanged snake in the Atractaspididae family.
Rhinotyphlops schinzi, commonly known as Schinz's beaked blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa.
Letheobia somalica, also known as the highland beaked snake or Ethiopian blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia.
Rhinotyphlops unitaeniatus, commonly known as the yellow-striped blind snake or the Kenya beaked snake, is a species of snake in the Typhlopidae family. It is endemic to Africa.
Bibron's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
The Bahamian slender blind snake is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae.
The Malawi blind snake, also known as the slender blind snake or southern gracile blind snake, is a species of snake in the Typhlopidae family. It is endemic to Africa.
Afrotyphlops schlegelii, commonly known as Schlegel's beaked blind snake or Schlegel's giant blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is endemic to eastern and southern Africa, and bears the distinction of being the world's largest typhlopid. It is harmless to humans and lives exclusively on a diet of termites.
Afrotyphlops is a genus of snakes in the family Typhlopidae.
CavaliereCarlo Antonio Fornasini was an Italian ivory trader and amateur field naturalist who worked in Mozambique. He collected numerous specimens of animals, insects and plants, and presented them to the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna in his home city for scientific study. He is remembered for having had several taxa named in his honour during his lifetime.
Afrotyphlops blanfordii, or Blanford's blind-snake, is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is native to the Horn of Africa.
