Xenotyphlops

Xenotyphlops is a special group of snakes that makes up the only genus in the family Xenotyphlopidae. This means it is a unique family of snakes with only two types, or species, known to exist. These snakes are called the Malagasy blind snake because they are found only on the beautiful island of Madagascar. They are interesting because they look different from many other snakes and live in a place far away from many other lands.

Evolution

Xenotyphlops is an ancient group of snakes that split from other blind snakes during the Cretaceous. This happened after Madagascar separated from India. On Madagascar, the family Xenotyphlopidae and another family called Typhlopidae separated. The Typhlopidae family spread around the world, but left behind one genus called Madatyphlops in Madagascar. The Xenotyphlopidae family stayed only in Madagascar. Xenotyphlops, Madatyphlops, and the Madagascan big-headed turtle are the only land animals on Madagascar whose isolation is due to Gondwanan vicariance.

Physical characteristics

The family Xenotyphlopidae includes small blind snakes. These snakes do not have special sensors on their heads to sense heat. Scientists believe these snakes once had eyes but no longer use them. Snakes in the genus Xenotyphlops look different from other similar snakes because they have a large, round shield on their noses and a special shield near their tails. Because of this, they look like little bulldozers. These snakes are very small, about the size of an earthworm, and their scales are a clear pink color. They are unique inside because they do not have a certain lung that many other snakes have. Both species live only on land.

Geographic range

Snakes of the genus Xenotyphlops are found only on the island of Madagascar. They live underground in sandy soil along the coast, in areas with forests and shrubs. For many years, scientists knew about these snakes only from a few examples kept in collections, and they believed these snakes might live near groups of insects that live underground.

Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, X. grandidieri is considered critically endangered, while X. mocquardi has not enough information to determine its status. The biggest dangers to these snakes come from activities like mining and logging, which can harm their homes and lives.

Species

There are two known species of Malagasy blind snakes. They are called Xenotyphlops grandidieri and Xenotyphlops mocquardi.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses shows that the species was first described under a different group name than Xenotyphlops.

Etymology

The name grandidieri honors a French naturalist named Alfred Grandidier. Another name, mocquardi, honors a French herpetologist named François Mocquard.

Taxonomy

In 2013, scientists looked at some new examples of these snakes and decided that one kind, called X. mocquardi, is actually just a variation of another kind, X. grandidieri. Because of this, they suggested calling them by the same name. This means the group of snakes called Xenotyphlops only has one type, and it belongs to a special family all to itself. These snakes are closely related to another group called the Typhlopidae.