Leptotyphlopidae
Parker’s worm snake
HarmlessMyriopholis parkeri
The Parker’s worm snake (Myriopholis parkeri) is a non-venomous snake in the Leptotyphlopidae family, recorded in 3 countries.
- Family
- Leptotyphlopidae
About the Parker’s worm snake
The Parker’s worm 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, Myriopholis, covers thread snakes. Myriopholis are tiny, worm-like burrowing snakes so slender and smooth that most people who see one mistake it for an earthworm rather than a snake.
The Parker’s worm 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, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Parker’s worm snake
- Is the Parker’s worm snake venomous?
- No. The Parker’s worm snake (Myriopholis parkeri) 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 Parker’s worm snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Parker’s worm snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Parker’s worm snake dangerous?
- The Parker’s worm snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Parker’s worm snake live?
- The Parker’s worm snake has verified records in 3 countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Leptotyphlopidae snakes
Hook-snouted worm snakeMyriopholis macrorhyncha
Long-tailed Thread SnakeMyriopholis longicauda
Gambia Blind SnakeMyriopholis algeriensis
Nurse's Blind SnakeMyriopholis nursii
Sahel Thread SnakeMyriopholis narirostris
Cairo Blind SnakeMyriopholis cairi
Sindh Thread SnakeMyriopholis blanfordi
Ionides’ worm snakeMyriopholis ionidesi
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
- Myriopholis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Myriopholis parkeri
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.