Range: San Salvador Island, Bahamas

 

The San Salvador blind snake is an endemic to the island of its name in the southeast end of the Bahamas archipelago; it also has the unfortunate distinction of having been named after colonizer Christopher Columbus. This species can reach up to almost 19 cm in length, with a slender cylindric build, a rounded head with a slight dorsal flattening and significant overbite, and a short, blunt tail tipped in a short spine. Dorsal scale count is 240-263, scale row count 14 reduced to 10 caudally (and supposedly the high number of subcaudal scales at up to 25 is a distinctive trait). Coloration is a uniform deep brown to black dorsally, with no pattern, lightening to a reddish or yellow-brown shade ventrally. This species can be distinguished from its relatives by its range, being unique to and the only species found on its island, and overall dark un-patterned coloration.

 

Habitat: forested and shrubland regions in relatively undisturbed parts of the island, likely in leaf litter, under logs or other debris, and loose soil.

 

Prey: likely small soft-bodied invertebrates such as ant and termite larvae.

 

Lifespan and reproduction: lifespan unknown, likely under 10 years. Oviparous.

 

Sources: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/102874884 Thomas L Kennedy under copyright https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/32524-Epictia-columbi

https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Epictia&species=columbi

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5715862#page/79/mode/1up