Leptotyphlops bilineatus
| Leptotyphlops bilineatus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Leptotyphlopidae |
| Genus: | Leptotyphlops |
| Species: | L. bilineatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptotyphlops bilineatus (Schlegel, 1839) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Two-Lined Blind Snake (Leptotyphlops bilineatus) is a harmless blind snake species endemic to Martinique in the Lesser Antilles.
Contents |
[edit] Distribution
Though previously recorded on St. Lucia and Barbados, specimens identified to those islands were described in 2008 as separate species, L. breuili and L. carlae. A specimen identified as from Guadeloupe was reported by Duméril and Bibron (1844:331), but none are known from that island. The type locality given is "Vaterland Martinique."[1]
[edit] Description
It is dark brown with two yellow stripes along its sides. It was once known as the world's smallest snake, being small enough to slither through a pencil if the lead were removed. Its typical length is 11 cm (4.5 in).[2] However, the newly described L. carlae (Hedges, 2008) is reported to be even smaller.[3]
[edit] See also
- List of leptotyphlopid species and subspecies.
- Leptotyphlopidae by common name.
- Leptotyphlopidae by taxonomic synonyms.
[edit] References
- ^ a b McDiarmid 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).
- ^ Reptiles: Snake at San Diego Zoo. Accessed 3 June 2008.
- ^ Hedges, S. Blair (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, retrieved March 5, 2010
[edit] External links
- Leptotyphlops bilineatus at the Reptile database
- Leptotyphlops bilineatus at the Encyclopedia of Life
