Leptotyphlops bilineatus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Leptotyphlopidae |
Genus: | Leptotyphlops |
Species: | L. bilineatus |
Binomial name | |
Leptotyphlops bilineatus (Schlegel, 1839) |
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Synonyms | |
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The Two-Lined Blind Snake (Leptotyphlops bilineatus) is a harmless blind snake species endemic to Martinique in the Lesser Antilles.
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Though previously recorded on St. Lucia and Barbados, specimens identified to those islands were described in 2008 as separate species, L. breuili and L. carlae. A specimen identified as from Guadeloupe was reported by Duméril and Bibron (1844:331), but none are known from that island. The type locality given is "Vaterland Martinique."[1]
It is dark brown with two yellow stripes along its sides. It was once known as the world's smallest snake, being small enough to slither through a pencil if the lead were removed. Its typical length is 11 cm (4.5 in).[2] However, the newly described L. carlae (Hedges, 2008) is reported to be even smaller.[3]