Order Squamata
Suborder Ophidia (Serpentes)
Infraorder Typhlopoidea (Scolecophidia)

Family Anomalepidae (Dawn Blind Snakes)

Liotyphlops beui (South America) © Axel Kwet.

Appearance: Similar to the related families Typhlopidae and Leptotypholidae, the anomalepids are small snakes (usually <30 cm) with blunt heads and short, blunt tails. Due to their burrowing life style their eyes are vestigial. In addition, they lack enlarged ventral scales as other snakes. Anomalepids share toothed, movable maxilla with typhlopids but differ in lacking pelvic vestiges and in having the prefrontal bones extend poteriorly over the orbits, which is unique among squamates. The dentary rarely bears more than a single tooth. Distribution: Southern Central America and Northern South America (Nicaragua through Northern Argentina) Habitat: soil Behaviour: mainly burrowing Reproduction: Anomalepids lay eggs which may be retained in several species until the embryos are well developed.

Contributing/Consulting expert: Van Wallach (Harvard University, Cambridge, USA).

1. Anomalepis
2. Helminthophis
3. Liotyphlops
4. Typhlophis

Click on genus to get a list of species. Use the Search form for more sophisticated searches (HELP on Search).

References:

Dixon-J-R; Kofron-C-P (1984)
The Central and South American anomalepid snakes of the genus Liotyphlops.
AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 4 (2-4) 1983: 241-264

HAHN,D.E. (1980)
Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Anomalepidae, Leptotyphlopidae, Typhlopidae.
Das Tierreich, De Gruyter (Berlin) 101: 65 pp.

Kofron,C. (1988)
The central and south-american blindsnakes of the genus Anomalepis
Amphibia-Reptilia 9: 7-14

Wallach, V. & R. Guenther (1997)
Typhlopidae vs. Anomalepididae: The identity of Typhlops mutilatus WERNER (Reptilia: Serpentes)
Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berl. 73 (2):233-342.

Welch,KRG (1994)
Snakes of the World - A Checklist. 2. Boas, Pythons, Shield-tails and Worm Snakes.
R & A Research and Information Limited/KCM Books, "89" pp.

BACK to The THE REPTILE DATABASE Top Page