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Home »» Snakes »» Leptotyphlopidae (Blind Snakes) »» Western Blind Snakes »» Utah Blind Snake (Rena humilis utahensis)


Utah Blind Snake (Rena humilis utahensis)Data Deficient





Description: A small (up to 15" in total length), relatively thin, pink, gray, or mauve snake that resembles a shiny earthworm. Both the head and tail are rounded and blunt. The head is not distinct from the neck. The eyes are vestigial and appear as dark spots underneath the ocular scales. Unlike most snakes the belly scales of this snake are not enlarged. A small spine protrudes from the end of the tail. There are no teeth in the upper jaw and only a few teeth in the lower jaw. This snake has only one scale between the oculars on the top of the head distinguishing it from the similar looking Texas Blind Snake which has three scales between the oculars


Habitat: desertscrub communities, Semidesert Grassland, Interior Chaparral, and the lower reaches of our woodlands are home to this snake. It is usually found below steep mountainous terrain on bajadas, in foothills, canyon bottoms, and low valleys.


Range: SW Utah, SE Nevada.


Found in these States: NV | UT


Diet: The Western Threadsnake forages underground for ants, termites, other small insects, centipedes, and spiders. It locates prey by following ant scent trails to the nest.


Reproduction: Mating probably takes place in spring. A clutch of up to 8 eggs is laid in summer. This snake sometimes nests communally and females tend to their eggs.


Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.


Taxonomy:

»» Kingdom: Animalia - Animals
   »» Phylum: Chordata - Chordates
     »» Subphylum: Vertebrata - Vertebrates
       »» Class: Reptilia - Reptiles
         »» Order: Squamata - Scaled Reptiles
           »» Suborder: Serpentes
             »» Infraorder: Scolecophidia
               »» Family: Leptotyphlopidae - Blind Snakes
                   »» Genus: Rena
                     »» Species: Rena humilis - Western Blind Snake
                       »» Subspecies: Rena humilis utahensis - Utah Blind Snake

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rena humilis", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Content may have been omitted from the original, but no content has been changed or extended.

 

 

 

 


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Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 
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