© Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior writtenFamily permission Typhlopidae of the publisher. (blind snakes)

Family Typhlopidae (blind snakes) Worm Snake Xerotyphlops vermicularis (Merrem, 1820) (formerly Typhlops vermicularis) Family: Typhlopidae (blind snakes) Sub-family: Asiatyphlopinae F.: Typhlops vermiculaire G.: Wurmschlange

Identification Length 18–30 cm, to can serve as a fixation point when the 36.5 cm, body diameter 2.5–5.5 mm. animal is moving forward. Morphology recalls that of an Transparent brownish, pink or earthworm. A blunt head without pale red colour; the belly is brighter, obvious separation from the body, with allowing the internal organs, eggs minuscule eyes in the form of dark and prey remains in the body to be spots on the top of the head. The body detected. is cylindrical, slightly flattened. The Venom Harmless. whole of the body is covered in small, Habitat At lower elevations on hillsides round, smooth, shiny scales, all more and mountain sides; on dry slopes or less of the same size, arranged in covered with bushes and rocks and 22–24 rows. The short, blunt tail ends covered with sparse grassy vegetation. in a thorn-shaped caudal scale that Also present in Mediterranean garigue

The Worm Snake Typhlops vermicularis is morphologically reminiscent of an earthworm, but it is a snake. Right: note on the close-up the very rounded snout, the vertically elongated rostral plate and the small eyes on the top and at the rear of the head. Left: Péloponnèse (Greece); right: Azerbaijan. P. Geniez. For general queries, contact [email protected] 45 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher. and rural, agricultural areas, as well Reproduction Oviparous. Lays 2–6 as on semi-arid steppe. Occurs from elongated eggs that hatch in late sea level to 1600 m elevation, rarely to September. 2169 m. Range The southern Balkans from Habits Lives in a system of Albania and southern Bulgaria as far underground galleries; can often as Greece, including the Aegean Sea be found by lifting stones. Appears islands; farther east, the countries on the surface only rarely and then boarding the eastern Mediterranean only at dusk or at night. In spring, from Turkey as far as northeastern often seen under stones. In summer, Egypt and including Cyprus, Syria, especially when it is very hot and dry, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. In it disappears deep into the ground, central Asia, its range continues only to reappear at the surface the from Transcaucasia to northwestern following spring; it is then impossible Afghanistan. to find, even by turning stones. Winter Geographic variation Xerotyphlops inactivity: 2–6 months, depending on vermicularis is a monotypic species region and elevation. belonging to a genus composed of just Diet Especially ants, including their four species, occurring in Asia, Europe eggs, larvae and nymphs; also other and Africa. This genus belongs to the small insects, myriapods and small sub-family Asiatyphlopinae. worms.

Israeli Worm Snake Letheobia simonii (Boettger, 1879) (formerly Rhinotyphlops simoni) Family: Typhlopidae (blind snakes) Sub-family: Afrotyphlopinae F.: Typhlops d’Israël G.: Israelische wurmschlange

Identification Minuscule snake conical, pointed snout, with a (16–24 cm in length); burrowing, flattened, sharp front edge. Rarely wormlike; flesh pink or red-pink in large rostral plate extends from the colour; extremely slim (2 or 3 mm first supralabial to the nostril. One in diameter), with hardly visible, large preocular (which is not as large minuscule eyes hidden under a as the nasal plate), which is in contact large ocular plate. Very small head, with the 2nd and 3rd supralabials; the indistinct from body, is an orange or prefrontal plate and the supraocular slightly yellowish colour. Remarkably scales are larger than the body scales; For general queries, contact [email protected] 46 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior writtenFamily permission Typhlopidae of the publisher. (blind snakes)

Letheobia simonii is a minuscule, wormlike snake. Its very strange head is shaped like a flute mouthpiece. As seen in the diagram, the eyes are not visible as they are located completely under the large, vertical ocular plate situated towards the back of the head. The nostrils could be taken for eyes. Note as well the enormous frontal plate that covers nearly the whole of the head. Talbi.

large undivided ocular plate; 2 or 3 Habits Almost unknown. Lives postoculars; 3 or 4 supralabials on underground in soft soils, between each side. The tail is short (less than plant roots and under stones. 2% of the total length) hardly longer Diet Essentially ants, including their than wide (about 4 mm). The body eggs and larvae, but also other small scales are small and shiny, essentially insects and small spiders. all the same size, including those Reproduction Oviparous; the female of the belly (no differentiated lays a few elongated eggs. ventral plates) and arranged in Range Israel, northwestern Jordan, 20–22 longitudinal rows; 403–488 Lebanon and western Syria. transverse rows of scales along the Geographic variation Letheobia body; the anal scute is undivided, and simonii is a monotypic species. there is no caudal spine. The genus Letheobia contains 31 Venom Harmless. species occurring principally in Habitat Mediterranean regions. Soft Africa and belongs to the sub-family and damp soils in wadis and near Afrotyphlopinae. urban areas; also in cultivated areas and gardens. For general queries, contact [email protected] 47 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher. Southeastern Turkey Worm Snake Letheobia episcopus (Franzen and Wallach, 2002) (formerly Rhinotyphlops episcopus) Family: Typhlopidae (blind snakes) Sub-family: Afrotyphlopinae F.: Typhlops de Turquie, Typhlops de Bischoff G.: Sudosttürkische Wurmschlange

Identification Closely related to than in L. simonii and diagnostic: Letheobia simonii, but for the present 544–595 (compared to 403–488). No known only from southeastern Turkey. spine on the tail. The body colour is A small wormlike snake that is a little pink or orange-pink, with a slightly larger than L. simonii (total length vermiculated pigmentation on the 25–33 cm). Eyes invisible externally. back; snout yellowish. Conical snout, pointed and angular Venom Harmless. in front like that of L. simonii. Large, Habitat Dry areas undisturbed by undivided nasal plate; the ocular plate humans with grassy vegetation, is often divided into 2 or 3 narrow many rocks and isolated shrubs (oaks, scales (undivided in L. simonii); 5 terebinth, mastic, olive). Soil often or 6 postoculars; 4 labials on each brown loam on limestone karst. Semi- side; 20 rows of scales at mid-body. arid climate with rain in winter but The number of transverse rows of little or no precipitation in summer. scales around the body is larger

Southeastern Turkey Worm Snake Letheobia episcopus is a tiny, blind, burrowing snake discovered in 2002. Franzen. For general queries, contact [email protected] 48 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior writtenFamily permission Typhlopidae of the publisher. (blind snakes)

Habits Hardly known. Lifestyle like that Reproduction Unknown but probably of the closely related Letheobia simonii: oviparous. underground, in soft soil, between Range For the present, known from bush roots or under stones. a small area in southeastern Turkey, Diet Unknown; probably small insects around Halfeti, in the Upper Euphrates such as ants, their eggs and their and near S¸anliurfa, at elevations larvae, and small worms. between 500 and 640 m.

Brahminy Worm Snake

Indotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803) (formerly Ramphotyphlops braminus) Family: Typhlopidae (blind snakes) Sub-family: Asiatyphlopinae F.: Serpent aveugle des pots de fleurs or Typhlops de Brahma; G.: Brahmanen-Wurmschlange

Identification Small, wormlike snake Venom Harmless. that resembles the Worm Snake Habitat In Egypt, the Brahminy Worm Xerotyphlops vermicularis but is slightly Snake was found in newly constructed slimmer and of more variable colour, urban sites in the desert planted with often dark violet-brown, ash-grey or tropical gardens and regularly watered even pale blue. The length when adult, lawns. In the Canary Islands, this 13–20.3 cm, is less than that of the species has been found in flowerpots. Worm Snake (it is one of the smallest Unlike other species of Typhlopidae snakes in the world). The body scales, and species of Leptotyphlopidae of the all almost the same size, are arranged Western Palaearctic, it avoids arid areas in 20 rows around the body (22–24 and desert. in the Worm Snake) and in 292–368 Habits A burrowing, nocturnal species transverse rows, depending on the that lives in burrows dug in light, more individual. The narrow rostral plate or less humid soil; in gardens and and the 2 nasal plates overhang the plant containers in urban areas. It is mouth to form a sort of rounded shovel found within clumps of roots, under that allows the snake to burrow in the stones, in heaps of vegetation or leaf soil. Nasal plate completely divided by litter. The best chance of finding one a furrow (only partially in the Worm is to look under flowerpots, where it Snake); the nasal furrow is in contact often shelters, or in watered lawns or with the preocular (in contact with the gardens in hot countries; at night, look 2nd supralabial in the Worm Snake). in over-watered areas. For general queries, contact [email protected] 49 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher.

Range The Brahminy Worm Snake is considered to be the species of terrestrial snake with the most extensive range in the world, due to the fact that it can reproduce from a single individual and the ease with which it can be accidentally transported in flowerpots. Its natural origin is uncertain, but it is probably on the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Because it is easily transported in soil (particularly in that of flowerpots), it has been introduced into sub-Saharan Africa, in other parts of Southeast Asia, northern Australia, islands in the Indian and South Pacific oceans, the southern United Sates and to Hawaii, Mexico and Guatemala. In the area covered by this book (where it has also been introduced), since 2004 it has been reported from the Arabian Indotyphlops braminus. Above: a juvenile; Peninsula; Kuwait; Egypt, around Cairo below: an adult darting its minuscule whitish and in the Sinai; northwestern Libya; tongue. Aguadulce (Ameria province, Spain). Rodríguez Luque. Grand Canaria (Canary Islands) and Madeira (Portugal). In 2011 and 2012 the species was found on mainland Spain at Aguadulce, Almeria province, Diet Small invertebrates such as ants, by Francisco Rodriguez Luque. It is termites, worms and caterpillars. probable that new sites will soon Reproduction The Brahminy Worm be found in warmer parts of the Snake is very remarkable in the fact Mediterranean region. that it is one of only two species of Geographic variation Indotyphlops snakes in the world known to be braminus is a monotypic species. parthenogenetic. Without having to The genus Indotyphlops contains mate with a male, females lay 1–18 22 species, all of Southeast Asian eggs that all hatch into females. Males origin, and belongs to the sub-family are unknown and probably do not Asiatyphlopinae, as does Xerotyphlops exist. vermicularis.

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Family Leptotyphlopidae (slender blind snakes) Hook-billed Blind Snake

Myriopholis macrorhyncha (Jan, 1860) (formerly Leptotyphlops macrophynchus) Family: Leptotyphlopidae (slender blind snakes) F.: Leptotyphlops à bec crochu G.: Hackensnabel-Schlankblindschlange

Identification Minuscule, burrowing, plates are divided in their lower part, wormlike, very thin (2–3 mm where the minuscule nostrils are diameter) snake with a short tail located. The ocular plates are very (9–10% of the total length). 17–28 cm enlarged, their lower edge located long. Minuscule eyes appear as between 2 supralabials, the front one points hidden under the very large very small. The lower part of these 3 ocular scale. The upper part of the scales (rostral, nasal and ocular) is in snout is curved forward, giving the direct contact with the mouth. The head a hooked appearance; the occipital plate is undivided. The body upper mandible is obviously longer is cylindrical, slightly flattened. The than the lower. The mouth is on the body scales are smooth and, for most, underside. The rostral plate is concave identical around the entire body (no in its lower part, and the large nasal large ventral plates), arranged in 14

The Hook-billed Blind Snake Myriopholis macrorhyncha, wormlike and very slim, obtains its name from the curved, hooked shape of the snout. Here, several juveniles from southeast Turkey. Göçmen. For general queries, contact [email protected] 51 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher.

Myriopholis macrorhyncha, in southwestern Turkey. Note the obviously prominent “beak”, which is, however, less hooked than that of the closely related M. algeriensis (following species). P. Geniez and A. Teynié.

rows at mid-body; 300–490 rings of Range Northeastern Africa, Arabian scales from the head to the anal scute; Peninsula, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, 43–53 rings of scales along the tail southeastern Turkey, Iraq, western arranged in 10 rows at mid-tail. A pale, and southern Iran, to the east as far as translucent pink, red or yellowish- western Pakistan and south as far as brown colour. Kenya and northern Tanzania. Venom Harmless. Geographic variation Since the Habitat Low-lying arid or desert populations in northwestern Africa regions with sparse vegetation, stones have been considered to belong to and, locally, slight humidity. Sometimes another species, Myriopholis algeriensis, near human habitations, in oases and and since M. macrorhyncha bilmaensis uncultivated gardens, but also in wilder is considered to be synonymous with or desertlike areas. M. algeriensis, M. macrorhyncha is Habits Little known. Nocturnal. Lives considered to be a monotypic species under stones and tufts of vegetation or (without any subspecies). However, in the root systems of trees or bushes. the status of the hamulirostris taxon, Avoids direct sunlight. present in Iran and also probably in Diet Small insects such as ants and Turkey, needs to be clarified as it may termites. concern a subspecies, or maybe even a Reproduction Oviparous. separate species.

For general queries, contact [email protected] 52 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means withoutFamily prior Leptotyphlopidae written permission of (slender the publisher. blind snakes) Algerian Hook-billed Blind Snake

Myriopholis algeriensis (Jacquet, 1895) (formerly Leptotyphlops algeriensis) Family: Leptotyphlopidae (slender blind snakes) F.: Leptotyphlops d’Algérie G.: Algerische hackensnabel-Schlankblindschlange

Identification Minuscule, wormlike Habitat Low- to medium-elevation snake, closely related to the Hook- desert with sparse vegetation, stones billed Blind Snake but with an even and, sometimes but not always, damp more pronounced hooked “beak”. An areas here and there. inhabitant of the Sahara zone and with Habits Nocturnal and burrowing. Lives a more western distribution, centred under stones and tufts of vegetation on northwestern Africa. A pale pink and in the root system of shrubs. colour. Avoids direct sunlight. Sometimes Venom Harmless. comes to the surface – for example, when the ground has been watered.

Algerian Hook-billed bland Snake Myriopholis algeriensis. Note the even more hooked snout compared to that of M. macrorhyncha, forming a protruding “beak”. Morocco. P. Geniez. For general queries, contact [email protected] 53 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher.

Diet Little known, but most probably Geographic variation Myriopholis small insects, ants and termites, for algeriensis is considered to be a example. monotypic species. Reproduction Oviparous. Range Northwestern African deserts; in the area covered by this book: southern Morocco, including the northern part of the Atlantic Sahara, desert steppe in Algeria as well as the Ajjer massif in the extreme southeastern part of the country, and southern Tunisia. Also present in Mauritania, northern Mali and northeast Niger. It probably occurs in Libya. Close-up of Myriopholis algeriensis. Morocco. P. Geniez.

Cairo Earthsnake

Myriopholis cairi (Duméril and Bibron, 1844) (formerly Leptotyphlops cairi) Family: Leptotyphlopidae (slender blind snakes) F.: Leptotyphlops du Caire G.: Ägyptische Schlankblindschlange

Identification Minuscule, wormlike macrorhyncha and M. algeriensis). The snake, 15–25.3 cm in total length for a body scales are smooth, translucent diameter of 2–3 mm. The constantly and shiny, all nearly the same around darted forked tongue immediately the body and arranged in 14 rows distinguishes this snake from a worm. of scales at mid-body, and 267–364 Rounded snout much less protruding transverse rows from the rear of the than in Myriopholis macrorhyncha head to the tail tip. Short tail (1.2– and M. algeriensis. Minuscule eyes 2.0 cm) that finishes in a sharp point covered by a large ocular scale. A by the terminal scale. supraocular scale located on each Upperparts pale pink or pale purple- side. The ocular plate extends to the brown, whitish belly. corner of the mouth; it is located Venom Harmless. between 2 supralabials, the front one Habitat Needs a certain amount of of which is very small (less than a ground humidity. In the Nile Valley, quarter of that of the rear supralabial). often occurs near human habitations, Divided occipital plate (undivided in M. in gardens and agricultural zones For general queries, contact [email protected] 54 © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means withoutFamily prior Leptotyphlopidae written permission of (slender the publisher. blind snakes)

Cairo Earthsnake Myriopholis cairi. D. Fuchs.

and at field edges. Lives under stones, Diet Small insects. between roots of bushes, in soft Reproduction Oviparous. ground and small mammal burrows. Range Within the scope of this book, Habits Little known. Nocturnal. These occurs only in the Nile Valley in Egypt; slender blind snakes may be found also in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia in February, March or April at night, and Niger. near the soil surface, even on the soil. Geographic variation Myriopholis Avoids direct sunlight. Actively digs cairi is considered to be a monotypic in and turns over the soil. Goes into species. water voluntarily and swims quite well.

For general queries, contact [email protected] 55