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Epictia striatula

Range: western Brazil, eastern Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina

 

A moderately widespread but uncommon blindsnake, this species has been reported from the Andes foothills and western Amazon basin region from northern Argentina to northwestern Brazil (though some reports, namely a recent IUCN assessment, have inviably attempted to reduce this range to only Bolivia and Argentina despite collections elsewhere). This species is moderately large for the genus, reaching up to 24 cm in length at least, with a very slender cylindrical build and a slightly flattened, ovular head just barely wider than the neck that bears a fairly heavily forward-protruding upper jaw. The tail is short and blunt, ending in a short spine on the tip. Dorsal scale count is at least 249, scale row count 14 reduced to a distinctive 12 rows caudally. Coloration is a dense series of dark brown to black stripes formed by bands down the middle of each scale, bordered by lighter brown to tan, as well as a paler ventral surface. The rostral scale and adjacent edges are pale yellow to tan, fusing to the most dorsal two stripes, and a matching blotch covers the last few scales and spine of the tail tip. This species is distinguished from all its relatives by the distinctive 12 rather than 10 caudal scale rows, as well as a high subcaudal scale count (23) and enlarged supraocular scales almost touching the supralabials.

 

Habitat: reported from termite nests and leaf litter in humid rainforest habitats.

 

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.researchgate.net/publication/362456579_Epictia_striatula_THE_IUCN_RED_LIST_OF_THREATENED_SPECIES
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34565937#page/59/mode/1up

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37211762 Kenny Ure under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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