field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of arusha national park

Leptotyphlops scutifrons merkeri
(Werner, 1909)
Common names
Merker’s Worm-snake
Synonyms
Stenostoma scutifrons Peters, 1854
Glauconia merkeri Werner,1909
Taxonomy
The worm snakes of south eastern
Africa have been reviewed by Broadley
& Watson (1976). Two subspecies were
recognised, the nominal form L.s. scutifrons
(southern form, from South Africa
up to central Tanzania) and L.s. merkeri
(Kenya and Tanzania). Broadley (1990)
and Webb et al. (2000) report that
Leptotyphlos conjunctus can be considered
a subspecies of L. scutifrons.
Identification
Size and body shape resembling an
earthworm except for the colour that is
dark reddish brown to dark brown and
the shiny appearance. Blunt head with
snout prominent, no teeth on the upper
jaw, the eyes are vestigial and covered
by scales. Ventral scalation similar to the
dorsal one. Maximum size in Arusha
National Park 253 mm (body + tail).
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Geographic Range
From South Africa northward up to
Kenya, Tanzania and Angola.
Local distribution
Usually found by turning up stones in
grassland and bushland areas; five individuals
were observed along the banks
of Ngare Nanyuki river. Other worm
snakes were found on the shores of
small and big Momela lakes and near
Kusare post. Medium search time 0.152
snakes per hour.
Ecology
Worm snakes live underground and can
be observed only after heavy rains when
they are flushed out or during the night.
The females lay two or three eggs that
look like a rice grain and the new-born
are just 55 mm long. Merker’s worm
snake feeds almost exclusively on ant
larvae and pupae; they produce
pheromones that prevent them from
being attacked by the ants (Webb et al.
2000).
Individual from Lenganassa river.