Leptotyphlopidae

Taxobox
name = Leptotyphlopidae


image_caption = Western blind snake, "Leptotyphlops humilis"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
infraordo = Scolecophidia
familia = Leptotyphlopidae
familia_authority = Stejneger, 1892
synonyms = * Stenostomata - Ritgen, 1828
* Stenostomi - Wiegmann & Ruthe, 1832
* Stenostomina - Bonaparte, 1845
* Stenostomatidae - Günther, 1885
* Stenostomidae - Cope, 1886
* Glauconiidae - Boulenger, 1890
* Leptotyphlopidae - Stejneger, 1892McDiarmid 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, thread snakes.ITIS|ID=174334|taxon=Leptotyphlopidae|year=2007|date=18 August] "The Leptotyphlopidae are a family of snakes found in North and South America, Africa, and Asia. All are fossorial and adapted to burrowing, feeding on ants and termites. Currently, 2 genera are recognized comprising 87 species.

Description

These are relatively small snakes rarely exceeding 30 cm in length; only "Leptotyphlops macrolepis" and "L. occidentalis" grow larger. The cranium and upper jaws are immobile and there are no teeth in the upper jaw. The lower jaw consists of a much elongated quadrate bone, a tiny compound bone, and a relatively larger dentary bone.NRDB family|family=Leptotyphlopidae|date=18 August|year=2007] Among these snakes is what is believed to be the world's smallest: the Lesser Antillean threadsnake, "L. bilineatus". The newly described "L. carlae" (Hedges, 2008) is reported to be even smaller.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] . Accessed 28 July 2008.]

Geographic range

Found in Africa, western Asia from Turkey to northwestern India, on Socotra Island, from the southwestern United States south through Mexico and Central America to South America, though not in the high Andes. In Pacific South America they occur as far south as southern coastal Peru, and on the Atlantic side as far as Uruguay and Argentina. In the Caribbean they are found on the Bahamas, Hispaniola and the Lesser Antilles.

Habitat

Occur in a wide variety of habitats from arid areas to rainforest and are known to occur near ant and termite nests.

Feeding

Their diet consists mostly of termites or ants, their larvae and pupae. Most species suck out the contents of insect bodies and discard the skin.

Reproduction

Oviparous (egg-laying).

Genera

^T) Type genus.

ee also

* List of leptotyphlopid species and subspecies
*
*
* List of snakes, overview of all snake genera.

References