Is the Merker's thread Snake venomous?

No. The Merker's thread Snake (Leptotyphlops merkeri) 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 Merker's thread Snake poisonous?

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Merker's thread Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.

Is the Merker's thread Snake dangerous?

The Merker's thread Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.

Where does the Merker's thread Snake live?

The Merker's thread Snake has verified records in 3 countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, United Republic of, Burundi. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Leptotyphlopidae

Merker's thread Snake

Harmless

Leptotyphlops merkeri

Merker's thread Snake — Leptotyphlops merkeri, (c) Andrea Meucci, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

3 photographs of the Merker's thread Snake. (c) Andrea Meucci, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA).

The Merker's thread Snake (Leptotyphlops merkeri) is a non-venomous snake in the Leptotyphlopidae family, recorded in 3 countries.

Family: Leptotyphlopidae

About the Merker's thread Snake

The Merker's thread Snake belongs to the Leptotyphlopidae family, slender blindsnakes (threadsnakes). Among the smallest snakes in the world, thin as a thread.

Threadsnakes are minuscule burrowing snakes, some no thicker than a pencil lead, that hunt ant and termite colonies. The family includes the Barbados threadsnake, often cited as the smallest snake species known.

Its genus, Leptotyphlops, covers slender blind snakes (thread snakes). Tiny, worm-like burrowers so thin and smooth they look more like a strand of thread than a snake.

The Merker's thread Snake 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.

It has been recorded in Kenya, Tanzania, United Republic of and Burundi.

Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.

Frequently asked: Merker's thread Snake

Is the Merker's thread Snake venomous?: No. The Merker's thread Snake (Leptotyphlops merkeri) 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 Merker's thread Snake poisonous?: Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Merker's thread Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
Is the Merker's thread Snake dangerous?: The Merker's thread Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
Where does the Merker's thread Snake live?: The Merker's thread Snake has verified records in 3 countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, United Republic of, Burundi. See the distribution section below for its full range.

Where it is found

Kenya Tanzania, United Republic of Burundi

More Leptotyphlopidae snakes

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: Leptotyphlopidae
GenusA close-knit group of very similar species: Leptotyphlops
SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name: Leptotyphlops merkeri

Keep learning

Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.