| any of numerous wormlike, burrowing snakes of the families Typhlopidae, Leptotyphlopidae, and Anomalepididae, most of which have vestigial eyes. |
blind snake
any of several nonvenomous snakes characterized by degenerate eyes that lie beneath opaque head scales. Blind snakes belong to the families Anomalepidae, Leptotyphlopidae, and Typhlopidae in superfamily Typhlopoidea. Since these three families are the only ones classified within infraorder Scolecophidia, blind snakes are sometimes called "scolecophidian snakes." Blind snakes are mainly small with blunt heads, cylindrical bodies, and short tails. Their bodies are encased in smooth, shiny scales. All are fossorial (that is, subterranean or burrowing) and are regularly associated with termite and ant nests. Individuals can be found on the ground surface at night or after heavy rains. They are occasionally found high in trees, presumably having reached these heights by using termite galleries. Blind snakes primarily feed on the eggs and larvae of both termites and ants; however, they also eat other soft-bodied arthropods and their eggs. All reproduce by laying eggs
Learn more about blind snake with a free trial on Britannica.com.