Leptotyphlops dulcis dissectus
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| iNew Mexico Blind Snake | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Leptotyphlops dulcis dissectus Cope, 1896 |
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Glauconia dissecta |
The New Mexico Blind Snake, (Leptotyphlops dulcis dissectus), is a subspecies of the harmless Plains Blind Snake, (L. dulcis). When first described it was considered its own species, but it was reclassified to a subspecies. Recent research has once again considered it its own species, due to distinct morphological characteristics, but this reclassification is not yet widely accepted.
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[edit] Description
New Mexico blind snakes look much like shiny earthworms. They are pink, brown or black in color with a deep sheen to their scales. They appear to be segmented. Their eyes are no more than two dark dots under the head scales, virtually useless, but well protected. Their mouths are small and set in an underbite. They can grow 8-10 inches at adult size.
[edit] Behavior & Habitat
Texas Blind Snakes spend the vast majority of their time buried in loose soil, only emerging to feed or when it rains and their habitat floods with water. Blind snakes are often found after spring rains, when they are often mistaken for earthworms. If handled they often squirm around and try to poke the tip of their tail into the handler. It is a completely harmless maneuver, and likely serves as a distractive measure. Their mouths are also far too small to effectively bite a human being. New Mexico Blind Snake diet is primarily termite and ant larvae.
[edit] Geographic distribution
The New Mexico Blind Snake is found in the southern United States primarily in the state of New Mexico, but its range extends to southern Colorado, western Texas, western Oklahoma, eastern Arizona and south into northern Mexico.
[edit] Conservation concerns
Gauging wild blind snake populations is virtually impossible due to their secretive nature, but it is known that, like many other native southwestern species, it is being detrimentally affected by the imported fire ant.
