Added 5 November 2023. Last updated 3 December 2023: added common names and distribution details, removed Xenotyphlops (which is placed in its own family, Xenotyphlopidae) and updated Bibliography.
Until a few years ago this family consisted of Acutotyplops, Cyclotyphlops, Rhamphotyplops, Rhinotyplops, Typhlops and Xenotyplops. Reclassification has now substantially increased the number of genera and created new subfamilies, as can be seen below. As ever we are indebted to the Reptile Database for the latest classifications and for bibliographic information.
Boulenger gives the characteristics of the family as follows: no ectopterygoid (transpalatine); pterygoid not extending to quadrate or mandible ; no supratemporal; prefrontal forming a suture with nasal; coronoid present; vestiges of pelvis. Maxillary vertical, loosely attached, toothed; mandible edentulous; a single pelvic bone.
The new subfamilies are as follows:
Afrotyphlopinae, African Blindsnakes: genera Afrotyphlops, Letheobia and Rhinotyphlops
Asiatyphlopinae, Asian Blindsnakes: genera Acutotyphlops, Anilios, Argyrophis (renamed from Asiatyphlops), Cyclotyphlops, Grypotyphlops, Indotyphlops, Malayotyphlops, Ramphotyphlops, Sundatyphlops and Xerotyphlops
Madatyphlopinae, Malagasy Blindsnakes: genus Madatyphlops
Typhlopinae, New World Blindsnakes: genera Amerotyphlops, Antillotyphlops, Cubatyphlops and Typhlops
Other than the article linked to at the bottom of the page, I am not aware of anyone keeping these snakes in captivity, nor can I imagine there would be much of a market for them. Because of the perceived lack of interest in these species, this page will probably be updated more slowly than others on this site.
|
Genus |
Common Name |
Distribution |
No. of species |
Notes |
|
Acutotyphlops |
Sharp-Nosed Blindsnakes |
Philippines, Solomon Islands, Bougainville and Bismarck Archipelago |
5 |
|
|
Afrotyphlops |
African Giant Blindsnakes |
Sub-Saharan African inc. islands |
28 |
|
|
Amerotyphlops |
American Blindsnakes |
Mexico south to Bolivia and Argentina, Grenada and Grenadine Islands |
19 |
|
|
Anilios |
Australian Blindsnakes |
Australia and New Guinea |
48 |
Mostly distributed in Australia. |
|
Antillotyphlops |
Antillean Blindsnakes |
Eastern Caribbean |
12 |
|
|
Argyrophis |
Southeast Asian Blindsnakes |
S and SE Asia from India and Nepal to S China, Vietnam and Indonesia |
12 |
Renamed from Asiatyphlops. |
|
Cubatyphlops |
Cuban Blindsnakes |
Cuba, Cayman Islands, Bahamas |
12 |
|
|
Cyclotyphlops |
Sulawesi Blindsnakes |
Indonesia (Sulawesi) |
1 |
|
|
Grypotyphlops |
Indian Beaked Blindsnakes |
India (peninsular, south of Ganges and Rajputana river basins) |
1 |
|
|
Indotyphlops |
South Asian Blindsnakes |
S and SE Asia (from India and Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan to Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia) |
22 |
|
|
Letheobia |
African Gracile Blindsnakes |
Sub-Saharan Africa as far south as Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania |
29 |
|
|
Madatyphlops |
Malagasy Blindsnakes |
Madagascar |
15 |
|
|
Malayotyphlops |
Malay Archipelago Blindsnakes |
Malay Archipelago including the Philippines, Borneo (Bunyu Island) and Indonesia (Malaku Islands) |
12 |
|
|
Ramphotyphlops |
Western Pacific Blindsnakes |
Islands in W Pacific (inc. Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Islands) and SE Asia |
22 |
A genus formerly of 60 species. |
|
Rhinotyphlops |
African Beaked Blindsnakes |
E and S Africa to South Africa |
7 |
A genus formerly of 31 species. |
|
Sundatyphlops |
Lesser Sunda Blindsnake |
Indonesia (Lesser Sunda Islands) |
1 |
|
|
Typhlops |
Antillean Blindsnakes |
W Caribbean (inc. Cuba, Hispaniola and Bahamas) |
20 |
A genus formerly of 136 species. |
|
Xerotyplops |
Desert Blindsnakes |
Europe, Africa and Asia |
3 |
Found almost entirely in xeric regions. |
Reptiles Magazine article on one keeper's experience with keeping a blind snake.
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