Leptotyphlops

Leptotyphlops
	Leptotyphlops distanti
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Leptotyphlopidae
Genus:	Leptotyphlops; Fitzinger, 1843
Synonyms
	Stenostoma Wagler, 1824 (preoccupied); Typhlina Wagler, 1830; Stenostona Cuvier, 1836; Leptotyphlops Fitzinger, 1843; Eucephalus Fitzinger, 1843; Catodon A.M.C.Duméril & Bibron, 1844; 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 W. Peters, 1881; Stenostomophis Rochebrune, 1884; Rhamphostoma Boulenger, 1893;

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.

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

Common name	Scientific name^[2]	Taxon author^[2]	Habitat & Range
Ethiopian Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops aethiopicus^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 2007	Forest, Grassland Ethiopia; Kenya
Cape Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops conjunctus	(Jan, 1861)	Grassland South Africa (Eastern Cape Province)
Distant's Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops distanti	(Boulenger, 1892)	Savanna, Grassland Mozambique; South Africa (Limpopo Province, North-West Province, Mpumalanga, Gauteng)
Emin Pasha’s Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops emini	(Boulenger, 1890)	Savanna, Shrubland Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Kenya; South Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda; Zambia
Howell’s Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops howelli ^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 2007	Forest, Savanna Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of
Incognito Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops incognitus^[3]	Broadley & Watson, 1976	Savanna, Grassland Eswatini; Mozambique; South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga); Zambia; Zimbabwe
Jacobsen's Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops jacobseni ^[3]	Broadley & S. Broadley, 1999	Grassland South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga)
Shaba Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops kafubi ^[3]	(Boulenger, 1919)	Savanna, Artificial / Terrestrial Angola; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Zambia
Mount Kenya Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops keniensis^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 2007	Shrubland Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of
Uvira Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops latirostris^[3]	(Sternfeld, 1912)	Savanna Burundi; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Tanzania, United Republic of
Goggle-eyed Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops macrops	Broadley & Wallach, 1996	Forest, Savanna, Artificial / Terrestrial Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of
Mbanja Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops mbanjensis^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 2007	Artificial / Terrestrial Tanzania, United Republic of
Merker’s Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops merkeri ^[3]	(F. Werner, 1909)	Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland, Artificial / Terrestrial, Introduced vegetation Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of
Black Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops nigricans^T	(Schlegel, 1839)	Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland South Africa (Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape)
Black-tip Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops nigroterminus^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 2007	Savanna, Shrubland Kenya; Tanzania, United Republic of
Pemba Worm Snake	Leptotyphlops pembae^[3]	Loveridge, 1941	Grassland, Artificial / Terrestrial Pemba Island, Tanzania
Pitman’s Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops pitmani ^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 2007	Savanna Kenya; Rwanda; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda
N/A	Leptotyphlops pungwensis^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 1997	Mozambique
Peter's Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops scutifrons	(W. Peters, 1854)	Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland Angola; Botswana; Eswatini; Lesotho; Namibia; South Africa; Zimbabwe
Forest Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops sylvicolus^[3]	Broadley & Wallach, 1997	Forest, Grassland South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province)
Tello's Thread Snake	Leptotyphlops telloi	Broadley & Watson, 1976	Savanna Eswatini; Mozambique

^T) Type species.

References

^ 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).
^ ^a ^b ^c "Leptotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ "Leptotyphlops" . The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

External links

Leptotyphlops at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 29 August 2007.
iNaturalist page

[McD99-1] 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).

[ITIS-2] "Leptotyphlops". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.

[RDB-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ "Leptotyphlops" . The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

[1]

[2]

[3]