They are one of Australia’s most poorly known group of vertebrates. Rarely seen, they spend much of their life underground, living in ant and termite nests and loose soil beneath rocks. One of the best times to see one is at night on the ground surface after rain, when they forage for food. Blind snakes are very sensitive to sunlight.
They eat insects (insectavor) including termite eggs and larvae. Basic behaviour such as courtship and mating have never been observed.
FACT: They are not blind. Their small eyes are protected by scales from ant attack.
FACT: All are non-venomous and completely harmless
Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers. |
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Key characteristics to look for when identifying species:
Uniform thickness
Beginning and end of nasal cleft
Profile of snout
Colouration
Shape of large scales above the nose
Number of longitudinal scales in a row (ventrals)
Number of scales after a vent (subcaudals)
Vent is the external opening of the cloaca. The cloaca is the chamber where the reproduction and excretory ducts open.
There are 9 species of Blind Snake in the Kimberley. |
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Flower-pot Snake
Ramphotyphlops braminus
Total length: Up to 17 cm
Tail: 1.5 - 2.7 % of total length
Distinguishing features: Snout rounded from above and in profile. Dark purplish-brown to almost black; upper surface darker, paler on lower surface,
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snout and tail tip. Mid-body scales in 20 rows.
Habitat: Under garden debris and flowerpots.
Status: Introduced. Australia’s only introduced snake.
Distribution: South East Asia, spread to all major tropical centres
Similar species: R. diversus
Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
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Ramphotyphlops diversus
Total length: Up to 35 cm
Tail: 1.4 - 3.5% of total length
Distinguishing features: Moderately slender with rounded snout in profile. Pinkish brown to purplish brown, paler on lower surface and darkest on head. Nasal cleft just visible from above
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Mid-body scales in 20 rows. Paler than R. braminus.
Habitat: Termite mounds or under leaves
Diet: Ant and termite larvae
Distribution: Northern WA and NT |
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Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
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Ramphotyphlops guentheri
Total length: Up to 29 cm
Tail: 1.1 - 2.7 % of total length
Distinguishing features: Small, very slender, purplish brown with black tail; head and tail end not obvious at first due to both being darker. Rounded snout in profile, nasal cleft protrudes from |
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second scale (labial) to between nostril and rostral scale, this is not visible from above.
Distribution: From Darwin to east Kimberley
Similar species: R. howi
Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
www.canetoads.com.au |
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Ramphotyphlops howi
Total length: Up to 21 cm
Distinguishing features: Moderately slender with snout rounded from above and in profile. Dark brown and darker on head, neck and tail; lighter brown on lower surfaces. Nasal cleft extends from 2nd upper labial scale to rostral scale, completely dividing nasal scale,
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not visible from above.
Habitat: Stony clay-based soil in Admiralty Gulf Diet: Unknown
Distribution: Kimberley at Admiralty Gulf only |
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Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
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Kimberley Blind Snake
Ramphotyphlops kimberleyensis
Total Length: Up to 30 cm
Tail: 1.7 - 2.2 % of total length Distinguishing features: Moderately slender, with depressed head and snout or ‘flat headed.’ Upper surface dark brown to silver grey, with pale snout, paler surface underneath.Mid-body scales in 22 rows. |
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Habitat: Shallow soils
Diet: Ant and termite larve
Distribution: Kimberley and Litchfield National Park NT
Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
http://www.canetoads.com.au |
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Kimberley Toad Busters |
Stinging Ant Blind Snake
Ramphotyphlops ligatus
Total Length: Up to 50 cm
Tail Length: 2.7 – 3.9 %
Distinguishing features: Extremely robust, snout rounded from above and in profile. Nasal cleft visible from above. Upper surface dark greyish brown to dark purplish brown, lower surface
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cream to dull pink. Pale around eye area. Mid-body scales in 24 rows.
Diet: Feeds on stinging ants and their eggs, lavae and pupae
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Distribution: Kimberley, Nthn NT/QLD. Central QLD coast to NSW
Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
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Small-eyed Blind Snake
Ramphotyphlops micromma
Total Length: Up to 20 cm
Distinguishing features: Very small eyes. Slender with snout rounded above and in profile. Nasal scale is completely divided, nasal cleft can be seen from above. No information on colour available. Mid-body scales in 18 rows. |
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Diet: Ant and termite larvae
Habitat: Termite mounds or shallow soil
Distribution: Specimen found once on Leopold Downs in 1924 |
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Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
http://www.canetoads.com.au |
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Ramphotyphlops troglodytes
Total Length: Up to 40 cm
Distinguishing features: Very slender flat head, with indistinct eyes. Upper surface brown with pale snout, tail and lower surface. Nasal scale is completely divided, nasal cleft can be seen from above. Mid-body scales in 18 - 22 rows.
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Diet: Ant and termite larvae
Distribution: Found only in the Kimberley
Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
http://www.canetoads.com.au |
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Claw-Snouted Blind Snake
Ramphotyphlops unguirostris
Total Length: Up to 49 cm
Distinguishing features: Long snout, hooked in profile, with ‘prominent transverse cutting edge.’ Moderately slender. Upper surface pink to dark olive brown, under side cream in colour.
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Nasal cleft barely visible from above. Mid-body scales in 24 rows.
Diet: Ant and termite larvae
Distribution: Found in tropical woodlands from QLD to Kimberley. |
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Ref: Storr G.M; Smith L,A; & Johnstone R.E. “Snakes of Western Australia” WA Museum
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. “A Complete guide to reptiles of Australia.” New Holland Publishers.
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