''Leptotyphlops'' is a
genus of nonvenomous
blind snakes, commonly known as slender blind snakes and threadsnakes,
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
''Myriopholis'' is a genus of snakes in the family Leptotyphlopidae. Most of the species were previously placed in the genus ''Leptotyphlops''.
Species
The genus contains the following species:
*'' Myriopholis adleri'' – Adler's worm snake
*' ...
'', ''
Namibiana'', ''
Rena'', ''
Siagonodon'', ''
Tetracheilostoma'', and ''
Tricheilostoma''.
Description
Most species of ''Leptotyphlops'' look much like shiny
earthworms
An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan; they are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation; and they usually have setae on all segments. Th ...
. They are generally black, grey, or blackish-brown and their scales give them a segmented appearance. 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
T)
Type species.
References
External links
*
iNaturalist page
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2630951
Snake genera
Taxa named by Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons