The two-lined blind snake (Tetracheilostoma bilineatum) is a harmless blind snake species endemic to Martinique in the Lesser Antilles.
| Two-lined blind snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Leptotyphlopidae |
| Genus: | Tetracheilostoma |
| Species: | T. bilineatum
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| Binomial name | |
| Tetracheilostoma bilineatum (Schlegel, 1839)
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| Synonyms | |
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Distribution
editThough 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."[2]
Description
editIt 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).[3] However, the newly described L. carlae (Hedges, 2008) is reported to be even smaller.[4]
References
edit- ^ Dewynter, M. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Tetracheilostoma bilineatum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T203635A115351235. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T203635A2769284.en. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
- ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ Reptiles: Snake at San Diego Zoo. Accessed 3 June 2008.
- ^ Hedges, S. Blair (2008), "At the lower size limit in snakes: two new species of threadsnakes (Squamata: Leptotyphlopidae: Leptotyphlops) from the Lesser Antilles" (PDF), Zootaxa, 1841: 1–30, doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1841.1.1, retrieved March 5, 2010
External links
edit- Leptotyphlops bilineatus at the Reptile database
- Leptotyphlops bilineatus at the Encyclopedia of Life