typhlops

Typhlops is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae. They are commonly called blind snakes or worm snakes and are adapted for a fossorial, burrowing lifestyle. Members of Typhlops are typically small and slender, with smooth scales and reduced eyes that are often hidden beneath the head scales. They are nonvenomous and pose no threat to humans.

Physically, Typhlops species have a cylindrical body, a blunt snout, and a simple tail, traits that suit their underground existence. Their eyes are vestigial, giving them limited or no vision, and they rely on tactile and chemical cues to navigate and find food. Most individuals are cryptically colored, blending with soil and leaf litter.

Diet and reproduction are characteristic of many typhlopids. Typhlops snakes feed primarily on ants, termites, and their larvae, which they locate in soil, rotting logs, and ant nests. They are generally oviparous, laying eggs that hatch into small, precocial young.

Distribution and habitat encompass the Old World tropics and subtropics. Typhlops species are found in Africa, parts of Asia, and various islands in the Indian Ocean, occupying soil, leaf litter, and termite mounds. They tend to prefer moist, loose soil and other subterranean microhabitats.

Taxonomy and systematics have undergone substantial changes. Historically, Typhlops served as a catchall genus within Typhlopidae, but molecular studies have led to taxonomic revisions. Many species formerly placed in Typhlops have been reassigned to other genera, such as Indotyphlops, Amerotyphlops, and Malayotyphlops, among others, leaving a more restricted core for Typhlops sensu stricto. The name Typhlops derives from Greek typhlos, blind, and ops, eye, reflecting their reduced vision.