Leptotyphlops

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Leptotyphlops
Leptotyphlops scutifrons.jpg
Peters's threadsnake (L. scutifrons)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Leptotyphlopidae
Genus: Leptotyphlops
Fitzinger, 1843
Synonyms [1]

Leptotyphlops is a genus of nonvenomous blind snakes, commonly known as slender blind snakes and threadsnakes, [2] in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The genus is endemic to and found throughout Africa. Eleven species have been moved to the genus Trilepida , and other species have been moved to the genera Epacrophis , Epictia , Mitophis , Myriopholis , Namibiana , Rena , Siagonodon , Tetracheilostoma , and Tricheilostoma .

Contents

Description

Most species of Leptotyphlops look much like shiny earthworms. They are pink or brown, and their scales give them a segmented appearance. Other species are black in color, but have the same general body structure. Their common name comes from the fact that their eyes are greatly reduced almost to the point of uselessness, and hidden behind a protective head scale. The species which are called thread snakes are so named because of their very narrow, long bodies.

Behavior

All blind snakes including those of the genus Leptotyphlops are burrowing snakes, spending most of their time deep in loose soil, typically only emerging when it rains and they get flooded out.

Diet

The primary diet of Leptotyphlops is ant and termite larvae.

Species

Species [2] Taxon author [2] Subsp.* [2] Common nameGeographic range
Leptotyphlops aethiopicus [3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops conjunctus (Jan, 1861)3Cape thread snake
Leptotyphlops distanti (Boulenger, 1892)0Distant's blind snake
Leptotyphlops emini (Boulenger, 1890)0Emin Pasha's worm snake
Leptotyphlops howelli [3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops incognitus [3] Broadley & Watson, 1976
Leptotyphlops jacobseni [3] Broadley & S. Broadley, 1999
Leptotyphlops kafubi [3] (Boulenger, 1919)
Leptotyphlops keniensis [3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops latirostris [3] (Sternfeld, 1912)
Leptotyphlops macrops Broadley & Wallach, 19960goggle-eyed worm snake
Leptotyphlops mbanjensis [3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops merkeri [3] (F. Werner, 1909)
Leptotyphlops nigricans T(Schlegel, 1839)0black thread snake
Leptotyphlops nigroterminus [3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops pembae [3] Loveridge, 1941
Leptotyphlops pitmani [3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops pungwensis [3] Broadley & Wallach, 1997
Leptotyphlops scutifrons (W. Peters, 1854)0Peters's thread snake
Leptotyphlops sylvicolus [3] Broadley & Wallach, 1997
Leptotyphlops telloi Broadley & Watson, 19760Tello's thread snake

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*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
T) Type species.

Related Research Articles

Leptotyphlopidae Family of snakes

The Leptotyphlopidae are a family of snakes found in North America, South America, Africa and Asia. All are fossorial and adapted to burrowing, feeding on ants and termites. Two subfamilies are recognized.

<i>Rena humilis</i> Species of snake

Rena humilis, known commonly as the western blind snake, the western slender blind snake, or the western threadsnake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Six subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Rena dulcis</i> Species of snake

Rena dulcis, also known commonly as the Texas blind snake, the Texas slender blind snake, or the Texas threadsnake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to the Southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Typhlops</i> Genus of snakes

Typhlops is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae. The genus is endemic to the West Indies. Some species which were formerly placed in the genus Typhlops have been moved to the genera Afrotyphlops, Amerotyphlops, Anilios, Antillotyphlops, Argyrophis, Cubatyphlops, Indotyphlops, Letheobia, Madatyphlops, Malayotyphlops, and Xerotyphlops.

<i>Rhinotyphlops</i> Genus of snakes

Rhinotyphlops is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae. The genus is found in Africa, the Middle East, and India. Some species formerly assigned to the genus Rhinotyphlops have been moved to the genera Afrotyphlops and Letheobia.

Bailey's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to Ecuador.

The Michoacán slender blind snake, also known commonly as la culebrilla ciega de Michoacán in Spanish, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to Michoacán, Mexico.

The collared blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. It is monotypic in the genus Habrophallos.

The San Salvador blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae.

Joshua's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to Colombia.

Amarals blind snake Species of snake

Amaral's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is native to South America.

Dugand's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to South America.

Emin Pasha's worm snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to northern East Africa.

The Santander blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to Colombia.

Big-scaled blind snake Species of snake

The big-scaled blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to southern Central America and northern South America.

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.

Nurse's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae.

The Espírito Santo blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to Brazil.

The northern blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to Peru.

Wilson's blind snake is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is native to Yemen.

References

  1. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Leptotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Leptotyphlops" . The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.