Anomochilus

Anomochilidae is a family of small snakes. There is only one genus, called Anomochilus. This genus has three species. People call them dwarf pipesnakes, lesser pipesnakes, or giant blind snakes. These snakes were first described in 1890.

Dwarf pipesnakes are small. They have short, conical tails and rounded heads that blend into their necks. Their uppersides are dark, ranging from blackish to purplish-brown. Their undersides are dark brown or black. Bright orange-red bands around their tails add color. They also have various pale markings on their snouts and bellies. All three species live only in Sundaland. This includes the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

These snakes like to live underground. They hide in leaf litter in lowland and montane rainforests. Scientists know very little about what they eat or how they reproduce. They probably eat earthworms, other snakes, and legless lizards. Unlike many snakes, dwarf pipesnakes lay eggs to give birth. Two species, A. weberi and monticola, are considered Data Deficient by the IUCN. This means there isn’t enough information about them. 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. He did this 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. 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 live only in Sundaland, on the Malay Peninsula and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They like to hide underground, often in the leaf litter of forests near creeks. These snakes live in many kinds of forests, from low areas to mountain regions. Each species likes a different height range.

Ecology and behaviour

Dwarf pipesnakes live mostly underground in burrows. Scientists do not know much about what they eat or how they reproduce. Because of their small mouths and special bones, they might eat long, thin animals like earthworms or small, slim creatures such as snakes and legless lizards.

One species, A. weberi, lays four eggs. This is different from most of their relatives, who 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. The third species, A. leonardi, is classified as being of Least Concern. All three species are only known from 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.