Reptiles Database

Order Squamata
Suborder Ophidia (Serpentes)
Infraorder Typhlopoidea (Scolecophidia)

Familia Typhlopidae (Blind Snakes)


Typhlops reticulatus (South America)
© Laurie J. Vitt.

Appearance: Similar to the related families Anomalepidae and Leptotypholidae, the typhlopids are small snakes (usually <30 cm, Typhlops schlegeli up to 1 m) with blunt heads and short, blunt tails. Due to their burrowing life style their eyes are vestigial. In addition, they lack enlarged ventral scales as other snakes. Typhlopids share toothed, movable maxilla with anomalepids but differ in having pelvic vestiges and in not having the prefrontal bones extend poteriorly over the orbits. In typhlopids the premaxilla is toothless and firmly articulated with the snout.The maxillae bear several teeth and are attached to the skull via mobile articulations. The lower jaw is composed of an enormous compund bone, a large separate coronoid, a small splenial and angular, and a small toothless dentary. Members of the genus Ramphotyphlops are unusual among squamates in having a solid protrusible hemipenis rather than an eversible hollow structure.

Distribution: Typhlopids occur on all continents including one species in Europe (Typhlops vermicularis) and 2 species in North America (T. pusillus and T. lumbricalis in Florida).

Habitat: soil

Behaviour: mainly burrowing.

Reproduction: Typhlopids lay eggs which may be retained in several species until the embryos are well developed.

Food: In contrast to most other snakes, scolecophidians don't feed on large prey. Many are specialized on ant or termite pupae, larvae, eggs, and occasionally adults.

Contributing/Consulting expert: Van Wallach (Harvard University, Cambridge, USA).

List of genera:

References:

Broadley, Donald G. & Wallach, V. (2007)
A review of East and Central African species of Letheobia Cope, revived from the synonymy of Rhinotyphlops Fitzinger, with descriptions of five new species (Serpentes: Typhlopidae).
Zootaxa 1515: 31–68

Dixon, James R. Hendricks, Fred S. (1979)
The wormsnakes (Family Typhlopidae) of the Neotropics, exclusive of the Antilles.
Zoologische Verhandelingen (173): 1-39

Gruber,U. (1979-1993)
in: Klemmer,K., Wermuth,H. & Hediger,H., eds.
Grzimeks Tierleben, Bd. 6: Kriechtiere
Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, p. 362-364

HAHN,D.E. (1980)
Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Anomalepidae, Leptotyphlopidae, Typhlopidae.
Das Tierreich, De Gruyter (Berlin) 101: 65 pp.

In-Den-Bosch-H-A-J. Ineich-I. (1994)
The Typhlopidae of Sulawesi (Indonesia): A review with description of a new genus and a new species (Serpentes: Typhlopidae). [Cyclotyphlops]
JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 28 (2): 206-217.

Wallach, V. (1995)
A new genus for the Rhamphotyphlops subocularis species group (Serpentes: Typhlopidae), with description of a new species. [Acutotyphlops]
Asiatic Herpetol. Res. 6: 132-150.

Wallach, V. & R. Guenther (1997)
Typhlopidae vs. Anomalepididae: The identity of Typhlops mutilatus WERNER (Reptilia: Serpentes)
Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berl. 73 (2):233-342.

WALLACH, V. & I. INEICH (1996)
Redescription of a rare Malagasy blind snake, Typhlops grandidieri MOCQUARD, with placement in a new genus (Serpentes: Typhlopidae). [Xenotyphlops]
J. Herpetol., Athens, 30 (3): 367-376.

Wallach, V. (2003)
Scolecophidia miscellanea.
Hamadryad 27(2): 222-240

Wallach, V. (2006)
The nomenclatural status of Australian Ramphotyphlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae).
Bull. Maryland Herp. Soc 42 (1): 8-24 [Austrotyphlops]

Welch,KRG (1994)
Snakes of the World - A Checklist. 2. Boas, Pythons, Shield-tails and Worm Snakes.
R & A Research and Information Limited/KCM Books, "89" pp.