Content
- what is the blind snake
- Characteristics of the blind snake
- Blind snake reproduction
- Blind snake has venom?
- poisonous snakes
- non-venomous snakes
The blind snake or cecilia is an animal that arouses many curiosity and is still little studied by scientists. There are dozens of different species, aquatic and terrestrial, that can reach almost a meter in length. One recent study published by Brazilians in July 2020 points out several news about her.
And that's what we're going to tell you here at PeritoAnimal in this article blind snake has poison? Find out if the blind snake is poisonous, its characteristics, where it lives and how it reproduces. In addition, we took the opportunity to introduce some poisonous snakes and other non-venomous ones. Good reading!
what is the blind snake
Did you know that the blind snake (species of the order Gymnophiona), contrary to what the name says, is not a snake? So it is. Also known as cecilia are actually amphibians, not reptiles, although they look more like snakes than frogs or salamanders. They therefore belong to the Amphibia class, which is divided into three orders:
- Anurans: toads, frogs and tree frogs
- tails: newts and salamanders
- gymnastics: cecillia (or blind snakes). The origin of this order comes from the Greek: gymnos (nu) + ophioneos (serpent-like).
Characteristics of the blind snake
Blind snakes are named for the shape they have: long and elongated body, in addition to being legless, that is, they do not have legs.
Their eyes are extremely stunted, which is why they are popularly called that. The reason for this is precisely because of its main behavioral characteristic: the blind snakes live underground digging into the ground (they are called fossorial animals) where there is little or no light. In these normally humid environments, they feed on small invertebrates such as termites, ants and earthworms.
Cecilias can distinguish, at best, between light and dark. And to help them perceive the environment and locate prey, predators and breeding partners, they have a pair of small sensory structures in the shape of tentacles in the head.[1]
Its skin is moist and covered with dermal scales, which are small flat discs located in transverse folds along the body, forming rings that aid in locomotion underground.
Unlike snakes, with which blind snakes are normally confused, these do not have forked tongue and its tail is either short or it simply doesn't exist. In several species, females care for their young until they gain independence.
There are about 55 different species of blind snake, the largest measuring up to 90 cm in length, but only about 2 cm in diameter, and they live in tropical regions.
Blind snake reproduction
THE cecilia fertilization is internal and after that the mothers lay eggs and keep them in the folds of their bodies until they hatch. Some species, when offspring, feed on the mother's skin. In addition, there are also viviparous species (animals that have embryonic development within the maternal body).
Blind snake has venom?
Until very recently, blind snakes were believed to be completely harmless. After all, these animals don't attack humans and there are no records of people who were poisoned by them. Therefore, the blind snake would not be dangerous or was never considered as such.
What was already known is that they secrete a substance through the skin that makes them more viscous and that they also have large concentration of venom glands on the tail skin, as a form of passive defense from predators. It is the same defense mechanism of frogs, toads, tree frogs and salamanders, in which the predator ends up poisoning itself when it bites the animal.
However, according to an article published in the July 2020 issue of the specialized magazine iScience[2] by researchers from the Butantan Institute, in São Paulo, and who had the support of the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (Fapesp), shows that animals can indeed be venomous, which would be a unique feature among amphibians.
The study points out that cecilia not only have poisonous glands Cutaneous, like other amphibians, they also have specific glands at the base of their teeth that produce enzymes commonly found in venoms.
The discovery of scientists at the Butantan Institute is that blind snakes would be the first amphibians to have a active defense, that is, it occurs when the poison is used to attack, common among snakes, spiders and scorpions. This secretion that comes out of the glands also serves to lubricate the prey and facilitate their swallowing. Compressing such glands during the bite would release the venom, which enters the wound caused, the same as the komodo dragon, for example.[3]
Scientists have not yet proven that the goo that comes out of the glands is poisonous, but everything indicates that this will soon be proven.
In the image below, check out the mouth of a cecilia of the species Siphonops annulatus. It is possible to observe the dental glands similar to those of snakes.
poisonous snakes
And if there is still no concrete conclusion about the danger that blind snakes can pose, what we do know is that there are a number of snakes - now real snakes - that are quite venomous.
Among the main features of poisonous snakes is that they have elliptical pupils and a more triangular head. Some of them have daytime habits and others nighttime. And the effects of their poisons can vary by species, as can the symptoms in us humans if we are attacked. Hence the importance of knowing the species of the snake in case of an accident, so that doctors can act quickly with the correct antidote and provide first aid in the event of a snake bite.
Here are some of the venomous snakes present in Brazil:
- true choir
- Rattlesnake
- Jararaca
- Jaca pico de jackass
And if you want to meet the most poisonous animals in the world, watch the video:
non-venomous snakes
There are several snakes considered harmless and therefore do not have poison. Some of them even produce venom, but lack the specific fangs to inject venom into their victims. Usually these non-venomous snakes have rounded heads and pupils.
Among the non-venomous snakes are:
- Boa (good constrictor)
- Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
- Canine (Pullatus Spilotes)
- Fake choir (Siphlophis compressus)
- Python (Python)
Now that you know the blind snake better and saw that it is actually an amphibian and you also know about some poisonous and other harmless snakes, you may be interested in this other article with the 15 most venomous animals in the world.
If you want to read more articles similar to Blind snake has venom?, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.