THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF AUSTRALIA - BLIND SNAKES

BLACKISH BLIND SNAKE
Anilios (was Ramphotyphlops) nigrescens

This species is not venomous and does not bite.


Photo of a Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) taken at Bendigo, Victoria



The Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) occurs along the Eastern coast and ranges of NSW, extending into south-eastern Qld, ACT and north-eastern Victoria

Note that the Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) is the only species of Blind Snake that has been recorded in Canberra, ACT

Notice that the belly scales are not wide like most other snakes

Most species of Blind snakes have a harmless spine on the very tip of their tail, which can be used to anchor the tail, as an aid to locomotion.


Photo of a Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) taken at Maleny, Queensland

Photo of a Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) taken at Bendigo, Victoria

The photo above of a Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) was taken at Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains NSW

The photo above of a Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) shows the harmless spine on the tip of its tail (Blue Mountains NSW)



The photo above of a juvenile (Anilios nigrescens) Anilios nigrescens was taken in Canberra, ACT



The photo above of a juvenile Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) was taken in Deagon (Brisbane), Queensland



Photo of a Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) taken at Bendigo, Victoria
This species spends much of its life underground and feeds mainly on ants and termites - its eyesight is extremely poor.

   
The Blackish Blind Snake (Anilios nigrescens) in this photo is from Seaham near Newcastle in NSW