Anomochilus

Anomochilidae is a family of small snakes that includes just one genus, called Anomochilus. This genus has three species known as dwarf pipesnakes, lesser pipesnakes, or giant blind snakes. These snakes were first described in 1890, but their name was changed in 1901 because it was already used for a group of beetles. Dwarf pipesnakes are small and have short, conical tails and rounded heads that blend into their necks.

They have dark uppersides, ranging from blackish to purplish-brown, and dark brown or black undersides. Bright orange-red bands around their tails add a touch of color, along with various pale markings on their snouts and bellies. All three species live only in Sundaland, specifically on the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

These snakes prefer to live underground, hiding in leaf litter found in lowland and montane rainforests. Scientists know very little about their diets and how they reproduce, but they probably eat earthworms, other snakes, and legless lizards. Unlike many snakes in their group, dwarf pipesnakes lay eggs to give birth. Two species, A. weberi and monticola, are considered Data Deficient by the IUCN, meaning there isn’t enough information about them, while the third species, A. leonardi, is considered to be of Least Concern.

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus Anomochilus was first created in 1890 by a Dutch herpetologist named Theodorus Willem van Lidth de Jeude. He called it Anomalochilus at first, but in 1901, another scientist named Charles Berg changed the name to Anomochilus because the first name was already used for a type of beetle.

Today, there are three known species of Anomochilus. These snakes are called pipesnakes. One species was found in Pahang, Malaysia, another in Mount Kinabalu on the island of Borneo, and the third also lives on Borneo. Scientists have studied how these snakes are related to other snake families and have moved them between different groups over time. They now believe these pipesnakes are closely related to a group called Cylindrophiidae.

Description

Dwarf pipesnakes are small, cylindrical snakes with a small, rounded head and a short, conical tail. Their uppersides are usually blackish to purplish-brown, while the undersides are dark brown or black, often marked by yellow or white blotches. The snout has yellow markings, and the tail is bounded by an orange or red band.

These snakes can be distinguished from others by their small head and eyes, large scales on the forehead, and unique scale arrangement. They also lack certain scales that most other snakes have, and their teeth are arranged differently, making them special among snakes.

Image	Scientific and common name	Length	Coloration	Scalation
	A. leonardi (Malayan giant blind snake or Leonard's dwarf pipesnake)	228 mm (9.0 in) (TL)	no pale stripes along sides; large pale spots along the vertebral column; glossy black to purplish-brown upperside; black belly and red subcaudal scales	214–252 ventral scales; single, unpaired parietofrontal scale
	A. monticola (Kinabalu giant blind snake or Mount Kinabalu dwarf pipesnake)	507–509 mm (20.0–20.0 in) (SVL), 521.2 mm (20.52 in) (TL)	no pale stripes along sides or spots along the vertebral column; solitary pale yellow scales along sides; glossy blue-black upperside; dark brown belly	258–261 ventral scales; single, unpaired parietofrontal scale
	A. weberi (Sumatran giant blind snake or Weber's dwarf pipesnake)	228 mm (9.0 in) (TL)	pale stripes along sides with large pale spots along the vertebral column; black uppersides and belly	242–248 ventral scales; paired parietofrontal scale

Distribution and habitat

All three species of dwarf pipesnake are endemic to Sundaland, living on the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They prefer to stay hidden underground, usually in the leaf litter of forests near creeks. These snakes are found in different types of forests, from lower areas to higher mountain regions, each species having its own preferred elevation range.

Ecology and behaviour

Dwarf pipesnakes are adapted to living underground, which means they spend most of their time in burrows. Not much is known about what they eat or how they reproduce. Because of their small mouths and special bones, scientists think they might eat long, thin animals like earthworms or small, slim creatures such as snakes and legless lizards.

One species, A. weberi, is known to lay clutches of four eggs. This makes dwarf pipesnakes unique among their relatives, as most other uropeltoids give birth to live young instead of laying eggs.

Status

Two species of dwarf pipesnake, A. weberi and monticola, are classified as being Data Deficient by the IUCN, while the third species, A. leonardi, is classified as being of Least Concern. All three species are known from only a few specimens, so scientists don't know much about their populations or where they live. Two of these snakes live in protected areas: A. monticola is found in Kinabalu Park, and A. leonardi lives in Taman Negara. There isn't much known about what threatens these snakes, but A. weberi might be at risk because of habitat loss from logging and growing cities.