Species Anilios australis (Gray, 1845)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Anilios australis Gray, J.E. 1845. Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum xxviii 289 pp. [135] [other syntype, BMNH 1946.1.11.14, referred to Ramphotyphlops endoterus (Waite, 1918)].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH 1946.1.10.61, WA.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Cogger, H.G., in Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. & Cogger, H.M. 1983. Amphibia and Reptilia. 313 pp. in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1 vi + 313 pp. [195].
• Typhlops preissi Jan, G. 1864. Iconographie Générale des Ophidiens. Milan : G. Jan 100 pp. [15, Atlas 1 pl. 5 fig. 2].

  Type data:

   Holotype RMNH 3689, 'South-western Australia'.

 

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Cogger, H.G., in Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. & Cogger, H.M. 1983. Amphibia and Reptilia. 313 pp. in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1 vi + 313 pp. [195]

 

Generic Combinations

• Ramphotyphlops australis (Gray, 1845).
• Austrotyphlops australis (Gray, 1845).
• Anilios australis (Gray, 1845).

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

NSW, SA, Vic, WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Coolgardie (COO), Esperance Plains (ESP), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Jarrah Forest (JF), Mallee (MAL), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

Ecological Descriptors

Burrower, fossorial, nocturnal, oviparous, soil dweller.

Extra Ecological Information

Feeds primarily on ant and termite larvae and pupae.

 

General References

Rabosky, D.L., Aplin, K.P., Donnellan, S.C. & Hedges, S.B. 2004. Molecular phylogeny of blindsnakes (Rhamphotyphlops) from western Australia and resurrection of Rhamphotyphlops bicolor (Peters, 1857). Australian Journal of Zoology 52: 531-548 (reinstated R. bicolor (Peters, 1857) as valid species)

Storr, G.M. 1981. The genus Ramphotyphlops (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) in Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 9: 235-271 (taxonomy)

Waite, E.R. 1918. Review of the Australian blind snakes. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 1: 1-34 (taxonomy)

Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2003. A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Australia : Holland 448 pp. [354] (distribution)

 

Common Name References

Clayton, M., Wombey, J.C., Mason, I.J., Chesser, R.T. & Wells, A. 2006. CSIRO List of Australian Vertebrates: A Reference with Conservation Status. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing iv 162 pp. [41] (Southern Blind Snake)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
07-Feb-2024	SERPENTES	27-Jan-2017	MODIFIED
07-Feb-2024	TYPHLOPIDAE	13-Jul-2016	MODIFIED
07-Feb-2024	TYPHLOPIDAE	09-Jul-2014	MODIFIED	ABRS
07-Feb-2024		07-May-2012	MODIFIED
08-Mar-2011		02-May-2011	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)