Typhlopidae
Swahili gracile blind-snake
HarmlessLetheobia swahilica
The Swahili gracile blind-snake (Letheobia swahilica) is a non-venomous snake in the Typhlopidae family, recorded in 1 country.
- Family
- Typhlopidae
About the Swahili gracile blind-snake
The Swahili gracile blind-snake 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, Letheobia, covers Blind snakes. Letheobia is a genus of small, burrowing African blind snakes that spend almost their entire lives underground.
The Swahili gracile blind-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.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Swahili gracile blind-snake
- Is the Swahili gracile blind-snake venomous?
- No. The Swahili gracile blind-snake (Letheobia swahilica) 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 Swahili gracile blind-snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Swahili gracile blind-snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Swahili gracile blind-snake dangerous?
- The Swahili gracile blind-snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Swahili gracile blind-snake live?
- The Swahili gracile blind-snake has verified records in 1 country, including Kenya. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Typhlopidae snakes
Israeli Worm SnakeLetheobia simoni
Gracile blind-snakeLetheobia gracilis
Letheobia episcopusLetheobia episcopus
Letheobia akageraeLetheobia akagerae
Brahminy BlindsnakeIndotyphlops braminus
Eurasian Blind SnakeXerotyphlops vermicularis- No photoEthiopian Blind SnakeLetheobia somalica
- No photoCameroon gracile blind-snakeLetheobia decorosus
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
- Letheobia
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Letheobia swahilica
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.