Dominican blind snake
| Dominican blind snake | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Typhlopidae |
| Genus: | Typhlops |
| Species: | T. dominicanus Stejneger, 1904 |
| Binomial name | |
| Typhlops dominicanus | |
| Subspecies | |
|
(controversial; see text) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Typhlops cinereus | |
The Dominican blind snake or Dominican worm snake (Typhlops dominicanus) is a species of blind snake that is endemic to the Caribbean island-nation of Dominica, in the Lesser Antilles.
It is widespread, mainly in coastal xeric woodland and associated cultivated lands, but it is uncommonly seen because of its burrowing habits. It can reach 385 mm long. It has a small, rounded head, and colored brown all over, with a lighter ventral surface.
The Guadeloupe blind snake (T. guadeloupensis), endemic to Guadeloupe, is sometimes described as a subspecies, T. d. guadeloupensis, with the Dominican population then classified as the nominate subspecies, T. d. dominicanus.
References
- Evans, Peter G.H.; James, Arlington (1997). Dominica, Nature Island of the Caribbean: Wildlife Checklists. Dominica Ministry of Tourism. p. 20.
- Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S.; Hypolite, Eric; James, Arlington (2007). "A report on the status of the herpetofauna of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies". Appl. Herpetol. 4: 177–94. doi:10.1163/157075407780681365.
- Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999). Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean. Macmillan Education Ltd. p. 41. ISBN 0-333-69141-5.
External links
- Typhlops dominicanus at the Encyclopedia of Life
- Typhlops dominicanus at the Reptile Database