Ramphotyphlops braminus

Ramphotyphlops braminus

Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Typhlopidae
Genus:	Ramphotyphlops
Species:	R. braminus
Binomial name
*Ramphotyphlops braminus* (Daudin, 1803)
Synonyms
Eryx braminus Daudin, 1803 [Tortrix] Russelii Merrem, 1820 Typhlops braminus — Cuvier, 1829 Typhlops Russeli — Schlegel, 1839 Argyrophis truncatus Gray, 1845 Argyrophis Bramicus Gray, 1845 Eryx Bramicus — Gray, 1845 Tortrix Bramicus — Gray, 1845 Onychocephalus Capensis A. Smith, 1846 Ophthalmidium tenue Hallowell, 1861 T[yphlops]. (Typhlops) inconspicuus Jan, 1863 T[yphlops]. (Typhlops) accedens Jan, 1863 T[yphlops]. accedens — Jan & Sordelli, 1864 Typhlops (Typhlops) euproctus Boettger, 1882 Typhlops bramineus A.B. Meyer, 1887 Tortrix russellii — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops russellii — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops braminus — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops accedens — Boulenger, 1893 Typhlops limbrickii Annandale, 1906 Typhlops braminus var. arenicola Annandale, 1906 [Typhlops braminus] var. pallidus Wall, 1909 Typhlops microcephalus F. Werner, 1909 Glauconia braueri Sternfeld, 1910 [Typhlops] braueri — Boulenger, 1910 Typhlopidae braminus — Roux, 1911 Typhlops fletcheri Wall, 1919 Typhlops braminus braminus — Mertens, 1930 Typhlops braminus — Nakamura, 1938 Typhlops pseudosaurus Dryden & Taylor, 1969 Typhlina (?) bramina — McDowell, 1974 Ramphotyphlops braminus — Nussbaum, 1980^[1] Indotyphlops braminus — Hedges et al., 2014^[2]

Ramphotyphlops braminus, commonly known as the brahminy blind snake^[3] and other names, is a blind snake species found mostly in Africa and Asia, but has been introduced in many other parts of the world. Completely fossorial, they are often mistaken for earthworms, except that they are not segmented. The specific name is a Latinized form of the word Brahmin, which is a caste among Hindus. No subspecies are currently recognized.^[3]

Description

R. braminus in East Timor

Adults are small and thin, averaging between 6.35-16.5 cm (2½ to 6½ inches) in length. The head and tail-tip look much the same, with no narrowing of the neck. The rudimentary eyes appear only as a pair of small dots under the head scales. The tip of the tail ends with a tiny pointed spur. The head scales are small and resemble those on the body. There are 20 rows of dorsal scales along the entire body. The coloration of the adults varies from shiny silver gray to charcoal gray or purple. The venter is grayish to brown. Juveniles are colored much the same as the adults.^[4]

The tiny eyes are covered with translucent scales, rendering these snakes almost entirely blind. The eyes cannot form images, but are still capable of registering light intensity.

Common names

Ramphotyphlops braminus is variously known as brahminy blind snake (or brahminy blindsnake),^[3] flowerpot snake, common blind snake, island blind 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.

Geographic range

Found in Africa and Asia, but being an introduced species in many parts of the world, it is also found in Australia and the Americas. It is common throughout most of Florida

In Africa, it has been reported in Senegal, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Somalia, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa (an isolated colony in Cape Town, also about 8 have been found in Lephalale, Limpopo Province at the Medupi Power Station during construction), Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, Mauritius, the Mascarene Islands and the Seychelles.

R. braminus

In Asia it occurs in Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Nepal, mainland India, the Maldives, the Lakshadweep Islands, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Andaman Islands, the Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawashima and Miyakoshima, Taiwan, Hong Kong, southern China, Hainan, the Malay Peninsula, the Maritime Southeast Asia including Singapore, Sumatra and nearby islands (the Riao Archipelago, Bangka, Billiton and Nias), Borneo, Sulawesi, the Philippines, Butung, Salajar, Ternate, Halmahera, Buru, Ceram, Ambon, Saparua, Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Madura, Flores, Lomblen, Sumba, Timor, Kai Island, the Aru Islands (requires confirmation according to McDowell, 1974:25), New Guinea (Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea), New Britain and Bougainville Island. In Australia in the Northern Territory near Darwin and the northern tip of Queensland). It occurs in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, on Christmas Island, Palau, Guam, and Saipan. The Americas in the United States (California, Massachusetts, Florida, The Hawaiian Islands, Texas and Louisiana), western and southern Mexico and Guatemala and in the Cayman Islands. The vertical distribution is from sea level to 1,200 m in Sri Lanka and up to 1,500 m in Guatemala. The type locality given is "Vizagapatam" [India].^[1]

This is also the only snake reported from Lakshadweep Islands.^[5]

Habitat

Usually occur in urban and agricultural areas.^[4] These snakes live underground in ant and termite nests. They are also found under logs, moist leaves and humus in wet forest, dry jungle and even city gardens. The distribution and survival of this group of snakes directly reflects soil humidity and temperature.^[5]

Feeding

Their diet consists of the larvae, eggs, and pupae of ants and termites.^[4]

Reproduction

This species is parthenogenetic and all specimens collected so far have been female. They lay eggs or may bear live young. Up to eight offspring are produced: all female and all genetically identical.^[4]

References

1 2 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
↑ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
1 2 3 "Ramphotyphlops braminus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
1 2 3 4 Brahminy Blind Snake at the Florida State Museum of Natural History. Accessed 30 August 2007.
1 2 Whitaker R. 1978. Common Indian Snakes: A Field Guide. Chennai: Macmillan India Limited. 154 pp. ISBN 978-0333901984.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ramphotyphlops braminus.

Ramphotyphlops braminus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 30 August 2007.
Image of Ramphotyphlops braminus at the Institute of Toxicology and Genetics. Accessed 30 August 2007.
Ramphotyphlops braminus at Snakes of Japan. Accessed 30 August 2007.
Ramphotyphlops braminus at WildHerps.com. Accessed 30 August 2007.
R. braminus at ThailandSnakes.com. Accessed 22 December 2014.

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