Ramphotyphlops

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Ramphotyphlops
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Typhlopidae
Genus: Ramphotyphlops
Fitzinger, 1843
Synonyms [1]
Common names: long-tailed blindsnakes, long-tailed blind snakes, worm snakes. [2]

Ramphotyphlops is a genus of nonvenomous blind snakes of the family Typhlopidae. Member species of the genus are native to southern Asia and southeast Asia, as well as many islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. They occur in a wide variety of habitats. As of 2025, 23 species are recognized as being valid. [2]

Contents

Description and ecology

Growing to 50–750 mm (2–30 in) in length, snakes of the genus Ramphotyphlops occur in a variety of colors from light beige, to red, to blackish brown. They are often difficult to identify properly without the aid of optical magnification. Their heads are conical and tapered into their bodies.

These snakes can be found in ant and termite nests, as well as under fallen leaves and in holes in logs. They are believed to feed on earthworms, as well as the larvae and eggs of ants and termites. They are thought to be oviparous, although this has only been observed in a few species.

Species

Species [2] [3] Taxon author * [2] [3] Subsp.** [2] [3] Common nameGeographic range [1]
R. acuticauda (W. Peters, 1877)0Palau Island blind snakePalau, Micronesia
R. adocetus Wynn, Reynolds, Buden, Falanruw & Lynch, 20120Caroline Islands, Micronesia
R. angusticeps (W. Peters, 1877)0arboreal blind snakeSolomon Islands
R. becki (W. Tanner, 1948)0Beck's blind snakeGuadalcanal, Solomon Islands
R. bipartitus (Sauvage, 1879)0Southern New Guinea blind snakeTidore, Maluku Islands
R. conradi (W. Peters, 1875)0Conrad's worm snakeSulawesi, Indonesia
R. cumingii (Gray, 1845)0Cuming's blind snakePhilippines
R. depressus (W. Peters, 1880)0Melanesia blind snakesw Pacific: Maluku; New Guinea; Bismarcks; Solomons; Fiji
R. erebus Kraus, 20230Papua New Guinea
R. exocoeti (Boulenger, 1887)0Christmas Island blind snakeChristmas Island (Australia)
R. flaviventer (W. Peters, 1864)0yellow-bellied blind snakeMaluku; New Guinea; Fiji
R. hatmaliyeb Wynn, Reynolds, Buden, Falanruw, & Lynch, 20120Caroline Islands, Micronesia
R. lineatus (Schlegel, 1839)0striped blind snake, striped worm snake, lined blind snakeSingapore
R. lorenzi (F. Werner, 1909)0Lorenz's blind snakeBorneo
R. mansuetus (Barbour, 1921)0small-headed blind snakeSolomon Islands
R. marxi (Wallach, 1993)0Marx's worm snakePhilippines
R.mollyozakiae (Wallach, 2020)0Molly Ozaki’s blind snakeThailand
R. multilineatus T(Schlegel, 1839)0hook-nosed blind snakeKai Islands and Salawati, Indonesia
R. olivaceus (Gray, 1845)0olive blind snakeBorneo; Philippines; Sulawesi; Maluku; Solomon Islands
R. similis (Brongersma, 1934)0Manukwari blind snakeNew Guinea
R. suluensis (Taylor, 1918)0Sulu Archipelago, Philippines
R. supranasalis (Brongersma, 1934)0Salawati blind snakeSalawati Island, Indonesia
R. willeyi (Boulenger, 1900)0Loyalty Islands blind snakeLoyalty Islands, New Caledonia

*) A taxon author in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ramphotyphlops.
**) Not including the nominate subspecies.
T) Type species. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 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 5 "Ramphotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 Genus Ramphotyphlops at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org

Further reading


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