- Leptotyphlops
Taxobox
name = "Leptotyphlops"
image_caption = Western blind snake, "L. humilis"
regnum =Animal ia
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 andSouth America ,Africa and southwesternAsia . Currently, 86species are recognized.Description
Most species look much like shiny
earthworms . They are apink orbrown coloration, and their scales give them a segmented appearance. Other species areblack 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 southwesternAsia . In the Americas from the southwesternUnited States , south through most of Central andSouth America as far asUruguay andArgentina . Also found onSan Salvador Island in theBahamas , inHaiti , theDominican Republic and in theLesser 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 andtermite larva e.pecies
"*) Not including the nominate subspecies." T)
Type species .Taxonomy
Two new species, "L. breuili" and "L. carlae", from the
Caribbean island ofBarbados , 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] . Accessed28 July 2008 .]ee also
*
List of leptotyphlopid species and subspecies
*
*References
External links
*
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