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Leptotyphlops

{{Short description|Genus of snakes}}

{{Redirect|Catodon|the catodon whale|sperm whale}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Leptotyphlops distanti.jpg

| image_caption = Leptotyphlops distanti

| taxon = Leptotyphlops

| authority = Fitzinger, 1843

| synonyms = *Stenostoma Wagler, 1824 (preoccupied)

| synonyms_ref = {{cite book |authorlink1=species:Roy Wallace McDiarmid|last1=McDiarmid |first1=RW |authorlink2=Jonathan A. Campbell|last2=Campbell |first2=JA |authorlink3=species:T'Shaka A. Touré|last3=Touré |first3=TA |year=1999 |title=Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference |volume=1 |location=Washington, District of Columbia |publisher=Herpetologists' League |isbn=1-893777-01-4}}

}}

Leptotyphlops is a genus of nonvenomous blind snakes, commonly known as slender blind snakes and threadsnakes,{{ITIS |id=174335 |taxon=Leptotyphlops |accessdate=29 August 2007}} 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 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

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!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Common name

! bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |Scientific name

! bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |Taxon author

!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Habitat & Range

Ethiopian worm snake

|Leptotyphlops aethiopicus{{NRDB genus|genus=Leptotyphlops}}

|Broadley & Wallach, 2007

|Habitat: Forest, grassland

Range: Ethiopia, Kenya{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |authorlink=species:Stephen Spawls |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops aethiopicus |volume=2021 |page=e.T21584239A21584244 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T21584239A21584244.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Cape thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops conjunctus

|(Jan, 1861)

|Habitat: Grassland

Range: South Africa (Eastern Cape Province){{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |authorlink1=species:Graham J. Alexander |author2=Tolley, K.A. |authorlink2=species:Krystal A. Tolley |author3=Weeber, J. |authorlink3=species:Josh Weeber |author4=Conradie, W. |authorlink4=species:Werner Conradie |author5=Pietersen, D. |authorlink5=species:Darren W. Pietersen |year=2022 |amends=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops conjunctus |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979732A217536604 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979732A217536604.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Distant's thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops distanti

|(Boulenger, 1892)

|Habitat: Savanna, grassland

Range: Mozambique, South Africa (Limpopo Province, North-West Province, Mpumalanga, Gauteng){{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=Leptotyphlops distanti |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979746A197419772 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979746A197419772.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Emin Pasha’s worm snake

|Leptotyphlops emini

|(Boulenger, 1890)

|Habitat: Savanna, shrubland

Range: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia{{cite iucn |author=Kusamba, C. |authorlink=species:Chifundera Kusamba |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops emini |volume=2021 |page=e.T21584272A21584290 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T21584272A21584290.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Howell’s worm snake

|Leptotyphlops howelli

|Broadley & Wallach, 2007

|Habitat: Forest, savanna

Range: Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Beraduccii [sic], J. |authorlink=species:Joe Beraducci |author2=Howell, K. |authorlink2=species:Kim Monroe Howell |author3=Msuya, C.A. |authorlink3=species:Charles Andekia Msuya |author4=Ngalason, W. |authorlink4=species:Wilirk Ngalason |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=Leptotyphlops howelli |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979760A217807449 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979760A217807449.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Incognito thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops incognitus

|Broadley & Watson, 1976

|Habitat: Savanna, grassland

Range: Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga), Zambia, Zimbabwe{{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |author2=Tolley, K.A. |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops incognitus |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979771A120635822 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T44979771A120635822.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Jacobsen's thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops jacobseni

|Broadley & S. Broadley, 1999

|Habitat: Grassland

Range: South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga){{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=Leptotyphlops jacobseni |volume=2022 |page=e.T178203A197408045 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T178203A197408045.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Shaba thread snake

|Leptotyphlops kafubi

|(Boulenger, 1919)

|Habitat: Savanna, artificial / terrestrial

Range: Angola, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia{{cite iucn |author=Kusamba, C. |author2=Zassi-Boulou, A.-G. |authorlink2=species:Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops kafubi |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979786A44979794 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T44979786A44979794.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Mount Kenya worm snake

|Leptotyphlops keniensis

|Broadley & Wallach, 2007

|Habitat: Shrubland

Range: Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |author2=Malonza, P. |authorlink2=species:Patrick Kenyatta Malonza |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=Leptotyphlops keniensis |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979800A217807566 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979800A217807566.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Uvira worm snake

|Leptotyphlops latirostris

|(Sternfeld, 1912)

|Habitat: Savanna

Range: Burundi, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Pietersen, D. |author2=Verburgt, L. |authorlink2=species:Luke Verburgt |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops latirostris |volume=2021 |page=e.T124313370A124313452 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T124313370A124313452.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Goggle-eyed worm snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops macrops

|Broadley & Wallach, 1996

|Habitat: Forest, savanna, artificial / terrestrial

Range: Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Malonza, P. |author2=Spawls, S. |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=Leptotyphlops macrops |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979811A217807671 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979811A217807671.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Mbanja worm snake

|Leptotyphlops mbanjensis

|Broadley & Wallach, 2007

|Habitat: Artificial / terrestrial

Range: United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Howell, K. |author2=Msuya, C.A. |author3=Spawls, S. |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=Leptotyphlops mbanjensis |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979823A217807781 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979823A217807781.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Merker’s thread snake

|Leptotyphlops merkeri

|(F. Werner, 1909)

|Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland, artificial / terrestrial, introduced vegetation

Range: Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Branch, W.R. |authorlink=William Roy Branch |author2=Wagner, P. |authorlink2=species:Philipp Wagner |author3=Safari, I. |authorlink3=species:Ignas Safari |author4=Chenga, J. |authorlink4=species:Jumapili Chenga |year=2015 |title=Leptotyphlops merkeri |volume=2015 |page=e.T47749549A47749558 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T47749549A47749558.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Black thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops nigricansT

|(Schlegel, 1839)

|Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland

Range: South Africa (Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape){{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=Leptotyphlops nigricans |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979834A197419932 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979834A197419932.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Black-tip worm snake

|Leptotyphlops nigroterminus

|Broadley & Wallach, 2007

|Habitat: Savanna, shrubland

Range: Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops nigroterminus |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979849A44979854 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44979849A44979854.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Pemba worm snake

|Leptotyphlops pembae

|Loveridge, 1941

|Habitat: Grassland, artificial / terrestrial

Range: Pemba Island, Tanzania{{cite iucn |author=Spawls, S. |author2=Malonza, P. |year=2022 |amends=2014 |title=Leptotyphlops pembae |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979860A217807882 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979860A217807882.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Pitman’s thread snake

|Leptotyphlops pitmani

|Broadley & Wallach, 2007

|Habitat: Savanna

Range: Kenya, Rwanda, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda{{cite iucn |author=Wagner, P. |author2=Branch, W.R. |author3=Chenga, J. |author4=Safari, I. |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops pitmani |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979875A44979884 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44979875A44979884.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

N/A

|Leptotyphlops pungwensis

|Broadley & Wallach, 1997

|Range: Mozambique{{cite iucn |author=Tolley, K.A. |author2=Conradie, W. |author3=Farooq, H. |author3-link=species:Harith Farooq |author4=Verburgt, L. |author5=Alexander, G.J. |author6=Raimundo, A. |author6-link=species:Alexandre Felipe Raimundo Missassi |author7=Sardinha, C.I.V. |year=2019 |title=Leptotyphlops pungwensis |volume=2019 |page=e.T44979890A44979892 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T44979890A44979892.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Peter's thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops scutifrons

|(W. Peters, 1854)

|Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland

Range: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe{{cite iucn |author=Tolley, K.A. |author2=Alexander, G.J. |year=2021 |title=Leptotyphlops scutifrons |volume=2021 |page=e.T44979898A44979907 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T44979898A44979907.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Forest thread snake

frameless

|Leptotyphlops sylvicolus

|Broadley & Wallach, 1997

|Habitat: Forest, grassland

Range: South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province){{cite iucn |author=Alexander, G.J. |year=2022 |title=Leptotyphlops sylvicolus |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979913A197420058 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979913A197420058.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

Tello's thread snake

|Leptotyphlops telloi

|Broadley & Watson, 1976

|Habitat: Savanna

Range: Eswatini, Mozambique{{cite iucn |author=Verburgt, L. |author2=Pietersen, D. |author3=Alexander, G.J. |author4=Farooq, H. |year=2022 |amends=2020 |title=Leptotyphlops telloi |volume=2022 |page=e.T44979917A217541811 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T44979917A217541811.en |access-date=16 April 2024}}

T) Type species.

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Wikispecies}}

{{Commons}}

  • {{NRDB genus|genus=Leptotyphlops|date=29 August|year=2007}}
  • {{inaturalist taxon|32438}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2630951}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Snake genera

Category:Taxa named by Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons