| 1 | Long-nosed worm snake |
Maximum length: 31cm.
A harmless underground species of the Middle East and North Africa. The long-nosed worm snake can be found in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and many more. It’s a species of dry, semi-deserts, which rarely encounters humans due to its shy burrowing ways.
Worldwide, there’s over 400 blind snake species, and the long-nosed worm snake (Myriopholis macrorhyncha) embodies virtually all of their typical characteristics. This snake has small, shrunken eyes, which have gradually deteriorated due to 10s of millions of years spent underground. These eyes cannot distinguish shapes, only basic changes in light intensity. This is also a tiny snake, reaching a maximum of just 31cm (recorded in Iran). Long-nosed worm snakes possess neither venom nor teeth, and have no ability to harm a human in any way.
Long-nosed worm snakes closely resemble an actual worm from a distance, but they have a vertebrae, and their body is covered with tiny scales. Their most obvious distinguishing feature is their pink colours, rather than the typical brown.
Long-nosed worm snakes are restricted in their prey, feeding only on creatures which share their underground habits, and are tiny enough to swallow, such as termites and termite laevae. This is an egg-laying species, typically in batches of 2. Long-nosed worm snakes occasionally venture to the surface at twilight, poking their heads out of small cracks and holes.
| 2 | Brahminy blind snake |
Maximum length: 20.3cm.
A blind snake which has achieved world domination. The Brahminy blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus) is the most successful invasive snake of all time, easily eating the Burmese python which has conquered Florida’s everglades. This is the most common blind snake worldwide, and perhaps the most common overall snake.
Originally, the flowerpot snake (as it’s also known) lived in Africa and Asia, although its exact origins are hard to pinpoint given how successfully it has spread. The reason for its success is lurking in the soil of ornamental plants, shipped far and wide overseas. It’s precisely because of their soil burrowing tendencies that they’ve spread undetected. After leaving people’s plantpots in gardens and conquering the countryside beyond, the Brahminy blind snake is now abundant in northern Australia, parts of Europe, Mexico and the southern USA, especially Florida.
This is an extreme blind snake in several ways, as it reaches a maximum of just 20.3cm, making it one of the world’s smallest snakes. All known specimens have been female, as this species reproduces asexually.
Brahminy’s blind snakes possess the usual features such as minuscule, shrivelled eyes, and a complete lack of venom or fangs. Their eyes are covered with transparent scales (which sounds painful), and this species lacks virtually any patterns.
| 3 | Western blind snake |
Maximum length: 38.9cm.
The most common blind snake in southern California, Arizona and far southern Nevada. The western threadsnake (Rena humilis) also plunges deep into Mexico, only disappearing around Mexico City. This species belongs to the same 10-member Rena genus as the Texas blind snake, and rarely exceeds 30cm.
The western thread snake has no fangs, and no venom. Its eyes are shrivelled, and capable of perceiving only basic changes in light intensity. But this species isn’t completely feeble. It has the advantage of a thick skull, which aids in its burrowing quests, a quest which normally leads them to their main food source: termites.
Western thread snakes are naturally averse to being exposed on the surface for too long. Many burrowing snakes live in the soft upper layers of soil, but Rena humilis is known to reach as deep as 20 metres, in the southern Californian realms it calls home.
This species occupies various habitats, but a consistent requirement is loose enough soils to dig in. Despite reaching so deep underground, sightings of western threadsnakes are constant in the southwestern US, so it’s likely that this is quietly one of the most abundant snakes in California.
| 4 | Beak-nosed worm snake |
Maximum length: 63cm.
One of India’s most common blind snakes, particularly along the southwest coast. This is a near-eyeless snake which could be below your feet at any moment near Goa or Mumbai.
The beak-nosed worm snake (Grypotyphlops acutus) appears at elevations from 10 to 700 metres. Rather than dusty arid lands, they prefer moist areas such as agricultural fields, and even the suburbs of urban zones like Chennai city. Hideouts where you’ll find this blind snake include beneath leaf litter, rocks, boulders and dead trees.
Unlike several massive blind snake groups, this species is isolated, as it’s the sole member of its Grypotyphlops genus. Up close, it has a chocolatey base of scales, covered with many fine pale spots. The start and end of its body look so similar that Indian locals once believed it to have two heads.
According to local observations, beak-nosed worm snakes try to rebury themselves rapidly whenever unearthed. They even try to poke intruders with their sharp tail occasionally, making this blind snake slightly more aggressive than average. This tail is also used for leverage when moving across the surface.
| 5 | Indochinese blind snake |
Maximum length: 43cm.
An exceptionally shiny blind snake, and a virtually patternless one. This species has a chocolatey brown lower body, but a lighter brown head, making its tiny dots of eyes easier to see than usual.
Indochinese blind snakes (Argyrophis diardii) live mainly in Thailand, where they’re one of the largest blind snakes. They peak at 43cm and are relatively thick too. This species occupies various habitats, but always more moist ones, including grasslands, forests and agricultural fields.
Argyrophis diardii has the rare blind snake feature of laying live young, shared with Mueller’s blind snake, also found in Thailand. It’s relatively determined to survive, using three defensive methods: 1) stabbing with a sharp tail, 2) releasing a foul-smelling musk, and 3) wriggling furiously. All can be overcome if you hold your nerve.
Indochinese blind snakes are difficult to find, but like most blind snakes, they usually come to the surface immediately after heavy rains, and in humid conditions. Their diet includes insect larvae and earthworms, and while sightings are few, they’re almost certainly eaten by larger snakes themselves.
| 6 | Giant African blind snake |
Maximum length: 95cm.
One of the most distinctive African blind snakes, firstly because of its jumbo size of almost 1 metre. This larger size allows you to spot their strangely shaped snout, with hardened-looking scales designed to scoop through hard soils, allowing them access to their subterranean tunnel networks.
Giant African blind snakes (Afrotyphlops mucruso) are found in southeastern Africa. Their territory stretches from southern Kenya, through Tanzania and Mozambique, to a final destination of northeast South Africa. They range from 0 to 1600 metres in altitude, often appearing in low-lying coastal thickets, as well open savannahs and savannahs intermingled with forest patches.
This species varies in colour, as some are dark with rapidly alternating white flecks. Another group have olive patches spreading in a haphazard manner, as though their scales are flaking off. Giant African blind snakes are as blind and fossorial as ever, yet their large size inevitably makes them more visible than their cousins. Rather than isolated, this species belongs to the 28-member Afrotyphlops genus, of which they’re easily the largest.
Giant African blind snakes can live deep underground, and despite their slow, sluggish manner, they’re far from lazy – they’re active hunters which seek out termite dens before feasting enthusiastically. They also lay unusually large egg totals of 12-40, and a maximum of 60.
| 7 | Big-scaled blind snake |
Maximum length: 37.8cm.
A blind snake of extreme northern South America, spreading from Colombia through Venezuela to Ecuador. The big-scaled blind snake (Trilepida macrolepis) is recognisable by its net-like patterns, which are pale coloured and divided into shapes like honeycomb. Its eyes are more visible than other blind snakes, though still mostly useless. Their round black eyes make them look like a cartoon character.
At an average of 30cm, the big-scaled blind snake is very challenging to find. Ripping up old decaying logs is your best bet, or digging through soil at the back of your garden.
This is a flexible blind snake in many ways. They appear in ancient forests, plantations and suburban gardens alike. They spend most of their lives underground, but also surface and hide in tree bark, even climbing to 2.5 metres above ground, which is rare for a blind snake. They’re neither diurnal or nocturnal, moving during both day and night.
Big-scaled blind snakes have a sharp tail for poking, but this causes a mild pinprick at best. This species is confirmed to be preyed upon by local ophiophagous snakes like Clelia clelia, and they have no real way of fighting back. Their only real defence is instantly diving below into their soil chambers, leaving a frustrated snake predator on the surface.
| 8 | Prong-snouted blind snake |
Maximum length: 45cm.
One of Australia’s most common blind snakes. The blackish blind snake is most common on the east coast near Sydney, while the prong-snouted blind snake (Anilios bituberculatus) reigns supreme slightly further west, particularly near Adelaide and its outskirts.
The prong-snouted blind snake has a strange snout, almost the shape of a shark’s. It has an enormous overbite, giving it the look of a bizarre elf, or like it has a huge nose. This species is well adapted to arid areas, and is regularly scooped out of termites’ nests, probably while attempting to eat the occupants.
This species has slightly more defence mechanisms than other blind snakes, with a vile smell that it releases to force disgusted predators to leave the area. This blind snake is believed to be preyed on by owls and bandy-bandys, yet remains extremely widespread and common. They have the honour of inhabiting every Australian state, as their range broadly covers the southern centre of the country. Anilios bituberculatus feeds by raking swarming termites into its mouth, by extending and retracting its upper jaw.
| 9 | Long-tailed thread snake |
Maximum length: 25.5cm.
Part of the 24 member Myriopholis thread snake genus, which live in Africa and the Middle East. The long-tailed thread snake (Myriopholis longicauda) is among the largest members, yet still reaches a maximum of only 25.5cm.
This blind snake lives in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and northeastern South Africa. While their pupils are visible, they’re little more than biro pen dots. If you bent down to examine this snake’s face, they wouldn’t distinguish even a vaguely humanoid blur. They’d most likely just comprehend a slight dimness compared to usual.
They might smell you, however, but even then, this species poses no risk. Myriopholis longicauda is like all other 400+ blind snakes in that it lacks any venom, or even teeth. Their response when cornered is an intense wriggling.
This species is believed to feed on termites and their eggs. When found on the surface, they’re usually below rocks or twisting beds of roots. Savannahs are their main heartlands, but searching for this species deliberately is extremely difficult. You’re more likely to find one purely by accident, as this blind snake could be lurking below almost any square metre of the savannah.
| 10 | Latin American blind snake |
Maximum length: 34.1cm.
The blind snake lurks under the soils of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, occupying the southern extent of South America. At a distance, this species looks generic, but up close, it’s more patterned than many of its brethren, with numerous subtle lines and spots. Its eyes are some of the least visible of any blind snake, and both head and tail feature a light scale, which makes them difficult to tell apart. The only distinguishing feature is a sharp point on the tail.
The Latin American blind snake (Epictia albipuncta) reaches a maximum of 34.1cm. They’re completely weak and defenceless, yet still have a large empire in South America.
This species is kept alive by its burrowing tendencies, and is much weaker on the surface. In March 2013, scientists collected two painted lanceheads (Bothrops diporus), Argentina’s most common venomous snake. These were male and female, and each contains a Latin American blind snake in its stomach. Given that they share territory with coral snakes, with are notoriously ophiophagous (snake-eating), this probably isn’t the Latin American blind snake’s only predator.
SURE THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS
None of the blind snakes here are dangerous, but in Africa there’s many species that look similar which are actually dangerous, particularly the stiletto snakes.