A Blind Snake that Clones itself… In the Backyard
The head of this Brahminy blind snake is at the upper left hand side of the photo.
Yesterday, at a friend’s birthday party here in Miami, an unusual worm-like snake was discovered amongst the leaf litter. It turns out that this snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus), commonly known as the Brahminy blind snake, is an introduced species to the US from Africa and/or Asia. It likely hitched a ride in the soil of imported plants. Fortunately, it appears that it is a harmless invasive species in this country, feeding on the eggs and larvae of ants and termites. It would be very easy to confuse this snake with a worm, but close inspection reveals scales, and the occasional flick of the tongue. Their eyes are covered over by scales, and can only detect differences in light. The mouth is recessed to improve their digging ability. It is therefore very difficult to discern the difference between the head and tail when the snake is stationary. This species remains quite small and slender, reaching only about 6 inches in size.
The most interesting aspect of this snake’s life history is that it is parthogenetic. That is, it is able to reproduce asexually without the help of a male to fertilze the eggs. All of the offspring (up to eight) are identical clones of the mother. To make matters even more interesting, this species is capable of either giving live birth, or laying eggs. That just blows our minds…
