Costa Rica Worm Snake

About the Costa Rica Worm Snake

Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked: Costa Rica Worm Snake

Is the Costa Rica Worm Snake venomous?

No. The Costa Rica Worm Snake (Amerotyphlops costaricensis) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.

Is the Costa Rica Worm Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Costa Rica Worm Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Costa Rica Worm Snake dangerous?

The Costa Rica Worm Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Costa Rica Worm Snake live?

The Costa Rica Worm Snake has verified records in 3 countries, including Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Where it is found

More Typhlopidae snakes

• 
  Reticulate Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops reticulatus
• 
  Brongersma's Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops brongersmianus
• 
  Yucatecan Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops microstomus
• 
  Coffee Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops tenuis
• 
  Honduras Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops tycherus
• 
  Pernambuco Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops paucisquamus
• 
  Grenada Worm Snake
  Amerotyphlops tasymicris
• 
  Amerotyphlops amoipira
  Amerotyphlops amoipira

Classification

How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.

OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards

Squamata

FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits

Typhlopidae

GenusA close-knit group of very similar species

Amerotyphlops

SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name

Amerotyphlops costaricensis

Keep learning

• What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
• Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
• What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
• How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.