Rena dulcis, the Texas blind snake, is a small snake endemic to the Southern United States and Northern Mexico. Blind snakes do not have any vision and spend most of their lives underground, preying on small insects like ants and termites.
Description
Size
An adult Texas blind snake grows to a size of up to 12 inches (30 cm).
Patterns and Coloration
Texas blind snakes have an earthworm-like appearance. Their bodies are shiny and single-colored in pink, brown, purple or silvery colors.
The Texas blind snake can easily be confused with its similar-looking relative the western blind snake. The best way to distinguish the two is by closely looking at their head. The Western blind snake has one scale between the ocular scales while the Texas blind snake has three.
Hunting Behavior
The Texas blind snake spends most of its live under ground. It has been found in depths of up to 65 feet (20 meters). It feeds on small insects such as ants or termintes and on their larvae.
Bite
Texas blind snakes are nonvenomous and are no threat for humans or pets. Their small mouths would be unable to bite through human skin.
Habitat
The Texas blind snake needs a habitat with loose soil to be able to move underground. In its natural range in and around Texas, these can be desert areas, savannahs or scrubland.
Texas blind snake range in the USA
Despite its common name, the Texas blind snake cannot exlusively be found in Texas but also in surrounding states. The Texas blind snake is endemic to Southwestern Kansas, Western Oklahoma, Southeastern Arizona, Southern New Mexico and Central and Southern Texas.
Scientific classification of Rena dulcis
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Suborder: Serpentes
- Family: Leptotyphlopidae
- Genus: Rena
- Species: Rena dulcis
Subspecies
Rena humilis has six recognized subspecies. All of the can be found in the South of the United States in and around Texas:
- Rena dulcis dulcis
- Rena dulcis rubellum
- Rena dulcis supraorbicularis
All three subspecies have a similar appearance and range and can’t be distinguished with the mere eye.
Other common names
In addition to Texas blind snake, Rena dulcis is commonly also called the Texas slender blind snake or the Texas threadsnake.