Indotyphlops braminus
Indotyphlops braminus, commonly known as the brahminy blind snake and other names, is a non-venomous blind snake species, found mostly in Africa and Asia, and has been introduced in many other parts of the world. It is a completely fossorial reptile, with habits and appearance similar to an earthworm, for which it is often mistaken and shares convergent evolution with, although close examination reveals tiny scales and eyes rather than the annular segments characteristic of a true earthworm. The species is parthenogenetic and all known specimens have been female. The specific name is a Latinized form of the word Brahmin. No subspecies are currently recognized as being valid.
Description
Adults of I. braminus measure long, uncommonly to, making it the smallest known snake species. The head and tail are superficially similar as the head and neck are indistinct. Unlike other snakes, the head scales resemble the body scales. The eyes are barely discernible as small dots under the head scales. The tip of the tail has a small, pointed spur. Along the body are fourteen rows of dorsal scales. Coloration ranges from charcoal gray, silver-gray, light yellow-beige, purplish, or infrequently albino, the ventral surface more pale. Coloration of the juvenile form is similar to that of the adult. Behavior ranges from lethargic in appropriate habitat to energetic, quickly seeking the cover of soil or leaf litter to avoid light.The tiny eyes are covered with translucent scales, rendering this snake almost entirely blind. The eyes cannot form images, but are still capable of registering light intensity.
Common names
I. braminus is variously known as the brahminy blind snake, flowerpot snake, common blind snake, island blind snake, teliya snake, and Hawaiian blind snake. The moniker "flowerpot snake" derives from the snake's incidental introduction to various parts of the world through the plant trade. "Kurudi" is the common Malayalam term which refers to I. braminus. "Sirupaambu" is the common Tamil term which refers to I. braminus.Distribution
Most likely originally native to Africa and Asia, I. braminus is an introduced species in many parts of the world, including Australia, the Americas, and Oceania.The vertical distribution is from sea level to in Sri Lanka and up to in Guatemala. The type locality given is "Vishakhapatam" .
Native range
In Africa, I. braminus has been reported in Uganda, DRC, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, Mauritius, the Mascarene Islands and the Seychelles. It has also been found in Libya.In Asia, it occurs in the Arabian Peninsula, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal, mainland India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Singapore, the Malay Peninsula, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.
In Maritime Southeast Asia, it occurs on Sumatra and nearby islands, Borneo, Sulawesi, the Philippines, Java, Bali, Flores, East Timor, the Kai Islands, the Aru Islands, New Guinea, New Britain, and Bougainville Island.
It also occurs in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and on Christmas Island.
Introduced range
In Australia, I. braminus occurs in the Northern Territory near Darwin, and in parts of Queensland.In Oceania, it occurs on Papua New Guinea, Palau, Guam, Fiji, Saipan, the Hawaiian Islands and Tahiti in French Polynesia.
In the Americas, it occurs in the United States, western and southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Colombia, Barbados and on the Cayman Islands, as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands. It has also been spotted in the Okanagan in B.C., Canada.
In Europe, it has been found in Spain, in Italy, and in Malta; it is believed to have been introduced in soil imported with potted plants, and has been labeled potentially invasive to native fauna.