Rhinoleptus koniagui, also known commonly as Villiers's blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species, which is indigenous to West Africa, is monotypic in the genus Rhinoleptus. It is among the smallest snakes in the world. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.[3]

Rhinoleptus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Leptotyphlopidae
Genus: Rhinoleptus
Orejas-Miranda, Roux-Estève & Guibé, 1970
Species:
R. koniagui
Binomial name
Rhinoleptus koniagui
(Villiers, 1956)
Synonyms[2]
  • Typhlops koniagui
    Villiers, 1956
  • Leptotyphlops koniagui
    — Guibé, Roux-Estève & Villiers, 1967
  • Rhinoleptus koniagui
    — Orejas-Miranda, Roux-Estève & Guibé, 1970

Geographic range

edit

R. koniagui is found in West Africa in Senegal (Bonghari and Casamance) and Guinea (Kouroussa and Youkounkoun). The type locality given is "Guinée Francaise: Youkounkoun" (Guinea).[2][4]

Habitat

edit

The preferred natural habitats of R. koniagui are forest and savanna, at altitudes from sea level to 450 m (1,480 ft).[1]

Reproduction

edit

R. koniagui is oviparous.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Jallow, M.; Trape, J. (2013). "Rhinoleptus koniagui". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T13292248A13292265. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T13292248A13292265.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. ^ "Rhinoleptus ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  4. ^ a b Rhinoleptus koniagui at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database

Further reading

edit
  • Orejas-Miranda B, Roux-Estève R, Guibé J (1970). "Un nouveau genre de Leptotyphlopides (Ophidia) Rhinoleptus koniagui (Villiers)". Comunicaciones Zoológicas del Museo de Historia Natural de Montevideo 10 (127): 1–4. (Rhinoleptus, new genus). (in French).
  • Villiers A (1956). "Le Parc National du Niokolo-Koba 1 : V. Reptiles ". Mémoires du l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noir, Dakar 48: 143–162. (Typhlops koniagui, new species). (in French).