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Characteristics: A miniature snake with distinct but defunct eyes only capable of detecting the presence or absence of light. It is broad snouted and its neck is non evident. Its body is slender with its greatest girth being over a thirty fifth of its total body length. The colour of this snake may vary most commonly being dark brown dorsally and light brown underneath with a paler snout, anal region and tail ending. The dorsal colouration may also be pale brown, yellowish brown or even grey.

Behaviour: This snake is designed for life underground but its equally able above ground and in water. During heavy rains it usually ascends to ground level after its subterranean air supplies become disrupted. It may be found in leaf litter, under dead wood and under stones but often when encountered it is passed of as an earthworm. Once exposed it will attempt to anchor itself to the ground with its spine and wiggle violently. Occasionally it may drive its spine into its captor's flesh inflicting a stinging but harmless prick. This snake will also burrow in flower pots and enter human dwellings by accident. This habit has enabled it to establish itself in areas outside its natural range as far apart as Saudi Arabia and Guatemala.

Food: This snake feeds on ants, insect larvae and beetles. Very little is known about its hunting techniques and it appears to be an opportunistic feeder. In turn this snake is preyed upon a multitude of other larger creatures mostly birds, large frogs, reptiles and other snakes.

Breeding: Unique among the snakes due to the fact that it is parthenogenetic. (Capable of reproducing without male intervention) It is also oviparous, however little has been studied about its reproductive behaviour. Gravid females are often captured between April and July which is the duration of the monsoon. The clutch sizes varies from 2 to 7 and the miniature eggs measure 13mmx4mm.

Growth: Little is known about its growth pattern. The smallest known gravid females measure around 150mm while the largest recorded specimens seldom exceed 170mm.

Venom: Non venomous

Identification: This snake has 20 uniform rows of Costals. It can be then verified by its divided Nasal shields and eye not being entirely in the Ocular shield.

Lepidosis:

• Rostral: Slender and tapers slowly along its range from the jaw to the top of its head.
• Oculars: Touches the third and fourth pairs of Supralabials and the eye is situated at edge that touches the Supraocular shield.
• Nasals: Divided and nearly as long as the Rostral. The Nasal opening is situated at the middle of the partition.
• Preocular: Shaped more like a long canine tooth and touches the first three pairs of Supralabials.
• Prefrontal: The Prefrontal system consists of one curved overlapping shield.
• Frontal: Same and equal in size as the Prefrontal.
• Temporals: One and touches the fourth pair of Supralabials.
• Parietals: Divided into a five shield system which consists of two divided Parietals and one Interparietal Shield which is as large as the Frontal.
• Postocular: Absent
• Costals: Comprised of 20 uniform rows.
• Anal: Divided into three equal shields.

Dentition: (Data Pending)

Distribution: South Asia, South East Asia, Indonesia, Australia, Sub Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Comoro Islands, Egypt, Papua New Guinea, Southern China and Japan. This snake has been introduced Saudi Arabia, Hawaii, Florida, Mexico and Guatemala.

The most common member of the family Typhlopidae in Sri Lanka. It is abundant in the South West and Southern part of the island and also found throughout the rest of the island in lower numbers up to an altitude of over 1000m. However to an untrained eye this snake often appears like an earthworm.

References:

WALL, Frank: Snakes of Ceylon (1921)