Early Blind Snakes: Anomalepididae

Early blind snakes live in southern Central America, across northern South America and possibly on Trinidad, and then down the eastern side of South America to northeastern Argentina. Of the four main groups, or genera (jen-AIR-uh), in this family, two live from Costa Rica to northern South America. These include the four species in the genus (JEAN-us) (the singular of genera) Anomalepis and the three species in the genus Helminthophis. The two species of the genus Typhlophis live only in South America, from central Venezuela eastward through French Guiana and southward through northeastern Brazil. One species may extend onto Trinidad. The largest genus is Liotyphlops with eight species. Some of these live from Costa Rica into northern South America, and others make their homes farther south in southern Brazil, southeastern Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina.

One species, Helminthophis flavoterminatus, lives on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, far away from the other early blind snakes. Humans are likely responsible for bringing the snake to the island.