Typhlops reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Guedes, Thaís B., Nogueira, Cristiano & Marques, Otavio A. V., 2014, Diversity, natural history, and geographic distribution of snakes in the Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 3863 (1), pp. 1-93 : 21

Typhlops reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) “Cobra-cega”

(Figs. 8.8 and 21.3)

The single record of this species in the Caatinga was obtained in state of Ceará ( Dixon & Hendricks 1979), municipality of Limoeiro do Norte, 30 m elevation. This area has arboreal caatinga, bushy caatinga, and herbaceous caatinga. It was also known in the Amazon Forest ( Cunha & Nascimento 1978; Martins & Oliveira 1998). We have no information on habitat use in the Caatinga, but this snake is a typical of humid, wet forested areas in Amazonia ( Cunha & Nascimento 1978; Martins & Oliveira 1998; Maschio et al. 2010). Thus, its ocurrence would be probably associated to relictual forested enclaves within Caatinga highlands. It has fossorial habits, is nocturnal and diurnal, and feeds mostly on arthropods ( Cunha & Nascimento 1978; Dixon & Hendricks 1979; Martins & Oliveira 1998).