Leptotyphlops

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. 11 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.

"Catodon" redirects here. For the catodon whale, see sperm whale.

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

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 name Geographic range
Leptotyphlops aethiopicus[3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops conjunctus (Jan, 1861) 3 Cape thread snake
Leptotyphlops distanti (Boulenger, 1892) 0 Distant's blind snake
Leptotyphlops emini (Boulenger, 1890) 0 Emin 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, 1996 0 goggle-eyed worm snake
Leptotyphlops mbanjensis[3] Broadley & Wallach, 2007
Leptotyphlops merkeri [3] (F. Werner, 1909)
Leptotyphlops nigricansT (Schlegel, 1839) 0 black 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) 0 Peters's thread snake
Leptotyphlops sylvicolus[3] Broadley & Wallach, 1997
Leptotyphlops telloi Broadley & Watson, 1976 0 Tello's thread snake

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

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. "Leptotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  3. "Leptotyphlops" . The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
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