Leptotyphlops

Taxobox
name = "Leptotyphlops"

---

image_caption = Western blind snake, "L. humilis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Leptotyphlopidae
genus = "Leptotyphlops"
genus_authority = Fitzinger, 1843
synonyms = * "Stenostoma" - Wagler, 1824
* "Typhlina" - Wagler, 1830
* "Stenostona" - Cuvier, 1836
* "Leptotyphlops" - Fitzinger, 1843
* "Eucephalus" - Fitzinger, 1843
* "Catodon" - A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
* "Epictia" - Gray, 1845
* "Glauconia" - Gray, 1845
* "Rena" - Baird & Girard, 1853
* "Sabrina" - Girard, 1857
* "Ramphostoma" - Jan "In" Jan & Sordelli, 1860
* "Tricheilostoma" - Jan "In" Jan & Sordelli, 1860
* "Tetracheilostoma" - Jan, 1861
* "Siagonodon" - Peters, 1881
* "Stenostomophis" - Rochebrune, 1884
* "Rhamphostoma" - Boulenger, 1893McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).]

:"Common names: slender blind snakes, threadsnakes.ITIS|ID=174335|taxon="Leptotyphlops"|year=2007|date=29 August] ""Leptotyphlops" is a genus of non-venomous blind snakes found throughout North and South America, Africa and southwestern Asia. Currently, 86 species are recognized.

Description

Most species look much like shiny earthworms. They are a pink or brown coloration, 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 thread snake species are so named because of their very narrow, long bodies.

Geographic range

Found in the Americas, Africa and southwestern Asia. In the Americas from the southwestern United States, south through most of Central and South America as far as Uruguay and Argentina. Also found on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and in the Lesser Antilles. Also found on Socotra Island.

Behavior

Blind snakes are all burrowing snakes, spending most of their time deep in loose soil, typically only emerging when it rains and they get flooded out. Their primary diet is ant and termite larvae.

pecies

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

Taxonomy

Two new species, "L. breuili" and "L. carlae", from the Caribbean island of Barbados, was described by Hedges (2008). At only 10 cm (4 in), "L. carlae" is believed to be slightly smaller than "L. bilineatus", and thus to be the world's smallest snake.Hedges SB. 2008. At the lower size limit in snakes: two new species of threadsnakes (Squamata, Leptotyphlopidae, "Leptotyphlops") from the Lesser Antilles. Zootaxa 1841:1-30. [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/zt01841p030.pdf PDF] at [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Zootaxa] . Accessed 28 July 2008.]

ee also

* List of leptotyphlopid species and subspecies
*
*

References

External links

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