Typhlopidae
Leeward Blindsnake
HarmlessAntillotyphlops geotomus
2 photographs of the Leeward Blindsnake. (c) barbuda_peek, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
The Leeward Blindsnake (Antillotyphlops geotomus) is a non-venomous snake in the Typhlopidae family.
- Family
- Typhlopidae
About the Leeward Blindsnake
The Leeward Blindsnake belongs to the Typhlopidae family, blindsnakes. Tiny, worm-like burrowing snakes that raid ant and termite nests.
Blindsnakes are small, shiny, cylindrical snakes that spend their lives underground. Their eyes are reduced to dark spots beneath the head scales, and they feed mostly on the eggs and larvae of ants and termites. They are completely harmless.
Its genus, Antillotyphlops, covers West Indian blind snakes. Tiny burrowing, worm-like snakes of the West Indies that live their whole lives hidden underground.
The Leeward Blindsnake is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Leeward Blindsnake
- Is the Leeward Blindsnake venomous?
- No. The Leeward Blindsnake (Antillotyphlops geotomus) 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 Leeward Blindsnake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Leeward Blindsnake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Leeward Blindsnake dangerous?
- The Leeward Blindsnake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
More Typhlopidae snakes
Puerto Rican White-tailed BlindsnakeAntillotyphlops platycephalus
Puerto Rican Coastal BlindsnakeAntillotyphlops hypomethes
Dominican Worm SnakeAntillotyphlops dominicanus
Brown-backed Blind SnakeAntillotyphlops catapontus
Montserrat Worm SnakeAntillotyphlops monastus
Richard's Worm SnakeAntillotyphlops richardii- No photoSaint Barts BlindsnakeAntillotyphlops annae
- No photoMona Blind SnakeAntillotyphlops monensis
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
- Antillotyphlops
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Antillotyphlops geotomus
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.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.