Leptotyphlopidae – Slender blind snakes

A widespread family of small and slender fossorial (burrowing) snakes. True to their subterranean lifestyle, they have rudimentary eyes (also called blindsnakes) and a dull appearance. Most blindsnakes are small and extremely lean, with a high body surface-to-volume ratio. This creates problems in maintaining body temperature and moisture levels; therefore, they prefer to reside in sticky and hidden places like under-leaf piles or tree logs and stones.

Blindsnakes are very secretive and non-confrontational, but as a last line of defense, they have a needle-like apical spine (at the tip of their tail). Despite their secret lives, blindsnakes can sometimes greet you because of their tremendous reproduction rate. Completely harmless to humans, they love eating ants and termites (often attacking their mounds), thus acting as natural pest controllers.