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Blind snakes
Anilios - Gray, 1845

Pronunciation: ann-NIL-ee-oss
Etymology: "The derivation of the generic name Anilios was not provided by Gray (1845), although Savage and Boundy (2012) suggest it was derived from the Greek an- (lacking) + helios (the sun)." (Shea 2015)

Taxonomic notes:

All Australian members of this genus were previously included in Ramphotyphlops.

Notes:
Statistics: Reproductive modes:
Oviparous - 46 out of 46 Australian species

Size range:
Smallest Australian species: Fassifern blind snake (Anilios insperatus) at 9.7 cm
 Longest Australian species: blackish blind snake (Anilios nigrescens) at up to 75 cm
Number of Australian species: 46
 

small-headed blind snake (Anilios affinis)
Injune, Queensland
Photo © Rob Valentic
small-headed blind snake (Anilios affinis) distribution range map Anilios affinis
Small-headed blind snake
Year described
(Boulenger 1889)
Description

sand-diving blind snake (Anilios ammodytes)
Gorge Range, Western Australia
Photo © Ray Lloyd
sand-diving blind snake (Anilios ammodytes) distribution range map Anilios ammodytes
Sand-diving blind snake
Year described
(Montague 1914)
Description

no-spined blind snake (Anilios aspina)
Julia Creek, Queensland
Photo © Eric Vanderduys
no-spined blind snake (Anilios aspina) distribution range map Anilios aspina
No-spined blind snake
Year described
(Couper, Covacevich & Wilson 1998)
Description
The only Australian blind snake to lack a spine on its tail.

southern blind snake (Anilios australis)
Perth, Western Australia
Photo © Jordan Vos
southern blind snake (Anilios australis) distribution range map Anilios australis
Southern blind snake
Year described
(Gray 1845)
Description

shovel-snouted blind snake (Anilios batillus)
Line drawing from original description by Edgar Waite
Public domain image
shovel-snouted blind snake (Anilios batillus) distribution range map Anilios batillus
Shovel-snouted blind snake
Year described
(Waite 1894)
Description

dark-spined blind snake (Anilios bicolor)
Wyperfeld National Park, Victoria
Photo © Henry Cook
dark-spined blind snake (Anilios bicolor) distribution range map Anilios bicolor
Dark-spined blind snake
Year described
(Peters 1858)
Description

prong-snouted blind snake (Anilios bituberculatus)
Deniliquin. New South Wales
Photo © Mark Sanders
prong-snouted blind snake (Anilios bituberculatus) distribution range map Anilios bituberculatus
Prong-snouted blind snake
Year described
(Peters 1863)
Description

faint-striped blind snake (Anilios broomi)
Brooklyn Station, Queenland
Photo © Eric Vanderduys
faint-striped blind snake (Anilios broomi) distribution range map Anilios broomi
Faint-striped blind snake
Year described
(Boulenger 1898)
Description

centralian blind snake (Anilios centralis)
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Photo © Jordan de Jong
centralian blind snake (Anilios centralis) distribution range map Anilios centralis
Centralian blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1984)
Description

Cape York striped blind snake (Anilios chamodracaena)
Pormpuraaw, Queensland
Photo © Eric Vanderduys
Cape York striped blind snake (Anilios chamodracaena) distribution range map Anilios chamodracaena
Cape York striped blind snake
Year described
(Ingram & Covacevich 1993)
Description

northern blind snake (Anilios diversus)
Cloncurry, Queensland
Photo © Mark Sanders
northern blind snake (Anilios diversus) distribution range map Anilios diversus
Northern blind snake
Year described
(Waite 1894)
Description

interior blind snake (Anilios endoterus)
Simpson Desert, Queensland
Photo © Jordan de Jong
interior blind snake (Anilios endoterus) distribution range map Anilios endoterus
Interior blind snake
Year described
(Waite 1918)
Description

No thumbnail available miner blind snake (Anilios fossor) distribution range map Anilios fossor
Miner blind snake
Year described
Shea 2015
Description
Snout is rounded in dorsal and lateral aspects. Rostral scale is large and round. The nasal cleft contacts the second supralabial ventrally, but does not extend to the dorsal surface of the head. Terminal tail spine is present.

Gane's blind snake (Anilios ganei)
Tom Price, Western Australia
Photo © Jordan Vos
Gane's blind snake (Anilios ganei) distribution range map Anilios ganei
Gane's blind snake
Year described
(Aplin 1998)
Description

long-beaked blind snake (Anilios grypus)
Gorge Range, Western Australia
Photo © Ray Lloyd
long-beaked blind snake (Anilios grypus) distribution range map Anilios grypus
Long-beaked blind snake
Year described
(Waite 1918)
Description

Top End blind snake (Anilios guentheri)
Central Kimberley, Western Australia
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
Top End blind snake (Anilios guentheri) distribution range map Anilios guentheri
Top End blind snake
Year described
(Peters 1865)
Description

pale-headed blind snake (Anilios hamatus)
Leonora, Western Australia
Photo © Mark Sanders
pale-headed blind snake (Anilios hamatus) distribution range map Anilios hamatus
Pale-headed blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1981)
Description

Kimberley deep-soil blind snake (Anilios howi)
North Kimberley, Western Australia
Photo © Henry Cook
Kimberley deep-soil blind snake (Anilios howi) distribution range map Anilios howi
Kimberley deep-soil blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1983)
Description

No thumbnail available Fassifern blind snake (Anilios insperatus) distribution range map Anilios insperatus
Fassifern blind snake
Year described
Venchi, Wilson & Borsboom 2015
Description
Small and slender; snout is slightly trilobed when viewed from above; the nasal scale is not completely divided; the nasal cleft joins the second supralabial scale and is not visible from above. Terminal tail spine is present.

Kimberley shallow-soil blind snake (Anilios kimberleyensis)
Central Kimberley, Western Australia
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
Kimberley shallow-soil blind snake (Anilios kimberleyensis) distribution range map Anilios kimberleyensis
Kimberley shallow-soil blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1981)
Description

Murchison blind snake (Anilios leptosoma)
Kalbarri region, Western Australia
Photo © Brad Maryan
Murchison blind snake (Anilios leptosoma) distribution range map Anilios leptosoma
Murchison blind snake
Year described
(Robb 1972)
Description

No thumbnail available Cape York blind snake (Anilios leucoproctus) distribution range map Anilios leucoproctus
Cape York blind snake
Year described
(Boulenger 1889)
Description

robust blind snake (Anilios ligatus)
Western Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
robust blind snake (Anilios ligatus) distribution range map Anilios ligatus
Robust blind snake
Year described
(Peters 1879)
Description

No thumbnail available extremely long blind snake (Anilios longissimus) distribution range map Anilios longissimus
Extremely long blind snake
Year described
(Aplin 1998)
Description
Extremely long; unpigmented; head slightly flattened.1

No thumbnail available buff-snouted blind snake (Anilios margaretae) distribution range map Anilios margaretae
Buff-snouted blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1981)
Description

No thumbnail available small-eyed blind snake (Anilios micromma) distribution range map Anilios micromma
Small-eyed blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1981)
Description

No thumbnail available Groote Eylandt dwarf blind snake (Anilios minimus) distribution range map Anilios minimus
Groote Eylandt dwarf blind snake
Year described
(Kinghorn 1929)
Description

thread-like blind snake (Anilios nema)
Rum Jungle, Northern Territory
Photo © Paul Barden
thread-like blind snake (Anilios nema) distribution range map Anilios nema
Thread-like blind snake
Year described
(Shea & Horner 1997)
Description

blackish blind snake (Anilios nigrescens)
Smiths Lake, New South Wales
Photo © Ryan Harvey
blackish blind snake (Anilios nigrescens) distribution range map Anilios nigrescens
Blackish blind snake
Year described
(Gray 1845)
Description

No thumbnail available blunt-snouted blindsnake (Anilios obtusifrons) distribution range map Anilios obtusifrons
Blunt-snouted blindsnake
Year described
Ellis & Doughty 2017
Description

Pilbara blind snake (Anilios pilbarensis)
Pilbara region, Western Australia
Photo © Henry Cook
Pilbara blind snake (Anilios pilbarensis) distribution range map Anilios pilbarensis
Pilbara blind snake
Year described
(Aplin & Donnellan 1993)
Description

rotund blind snake (Anilios pinguis)
Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Photo © Jordan Vos
rotund blind snake (Anilios pinguis) distribution range map Anilios pinguis
Rotund blind snake
Year described
(Waite 1897)
Description

proximus blind snake (Anilios proximus)
Eudlo, Queensland
Photo © Mark Sanders
proximus blind snake (Anilios proximus) distribution range map Anilios proximus
Proximus blind snake
Year described
(Waite 1893)
Description

No thumbnail available Roberts' blind snake (Anilios robertsi) distribution range map Anilios robertsi
Roberts' blind snake
Year described
(Couper, Covacevich & Wilson 1998)
Description

Cooloola blind snake (Anilios silvia)
Yandina, Queensland
Photo © Melissa Bruton
Cooloola blind snake (Anilios silvia) distribution range map Anilios silvia
Cooloola blind snake
Year described
(Ingram & Covacevich 1993)
Description

No thumbnail available splendid blind snake (Anilios splendidus) distribution range map Anilios splendidus
Splendid blind snake
Year described
(Aplin 1998)
Description

No thumbnail available sharp-snouted blindsnake (Anilios systenos) distribution range map Anilios systenos
Sharp-snouted blindsnake
Year described
Ellis & Doughty 2017
Description

north-eastern blind snake (Anilios torresianus)
Kirrama, Queensland
Photo © Ray Lloyd
north-eastern blind snake (Anilios torresianus) distribution range map Anilios torresianus
North-eastern blind snake
Year described
(Boulenger 1889)
Description

Darwin blind snake (Anilios tovelli)
Humpty Doo, Northern Territory
Photo © Rob Valentic
Darwin blind snake (Anilios tovelli) distribution range map Anilios tovelli
Darwin blind snake
Year described
(Loveridge 1945)
Description

No thumbnail available Sandamara blind snake (Anilios troglodytes) distribution range map Anilios troglodytes
Sandamara blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1981)
Description

claw-snouted blind snake (Anilios unguirostris)
Moranbah, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
claw-snouted blind snake (Anilios unguirostris) distribution range map Anilios unguirostris
Claw-snouted blind snake
Year described
(Peters 1867)
Description

beaked blind snake (Anilios waitii)
Leonora, Western Australia
Photo © Mark Sanders
beaked blind snake (Anilios waitii) distribution range map Anilios waitii
Beaked blind snake
Year described
(Boulenger 1895)
Description

brown-snouted blind snake (Anilios wiedii)
Ballendeen, Queensland
Photo © Mark Sanders
brown-snouted blind snake (Anilios wiedii) distribution range map Anilios wiedii
Brown-snouted blind snake
Year described
(Peters 1867)
Description

No thumbnail available Yampi blind snake (Anilios yampiensis) distribution range map Anilios yampiensis
Yampi blind snake
Year described
(Storr 1981)
Description

No thumbnail available Yirrkala blind snake (Anilios yirrikalae) distribution range map Anilios yirrikalae
Yirrkala blind snake
Year described
(Kinghorn 1942)
Description

No thumbnail available West Kimberley blindsnake (Anilios zonula) distribution range map Anilios zonula
West Kimberley blindsnake
Year described
Ellis 2016
Description
Slender and elongate. The snout is bluntly rounded from dorsal and lateral views. Nasal scale undivided. The nostril is positioned closer to the rostral scale than to the preocular scale. The nasal cleft originates from the second supralabial scale, extending anteriorly and dorsally to the nostril, and then extending anteriorly to the rostral scale. Pinkish-purple. Tail spine absent.

References
  1. Aplin, KP (1998). Three new blindsnakes (Squamata: Typhlopidae) from northwestern Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 19:1-12.
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