Letheobia simonii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Letheobia simonii |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Letheobia
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| Species: |
simonii
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The Letheobia simonii is a special kind of snake known as a blind snake. It lives only in the Middle East. This snake is a single species, meaning there are no different types or subspecies of it known right now.
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About the Name: Simonii
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The second part of the snake's name, simonii, was chosen to honor a German entomologist (someone who studies insects) named Hans Simon. He was from a city called Stuttgart.
Where Does This Snake Live?
The L. simonii blind snake can be found in several countries in the Middle East. These include Israel, Jordan, and Syria.
The first place where this snake was officially found and described was noted as "Haiffa, Syriae." Later, in 1967, a scientist named Mertens clarified that "Haiffa" is actually in Israel.
What Does the L. simonii Look Like?
This blind snake has a unique appearance. It is usually a flesh-colored pink. It can grow to be about 20 centimeters long, which is roughly 8 inches.
Its body is covered in scales arranged in 20 rows. The snake has a very noticeable and pointed snout, which has a sharp edge. Its nostrils are located just below this sharp edge. The scales on its head look like tiny grains.
The large scale at the very front of its snout, called the rostral scale, is longer than it is wide. The opening for its nostril connects to the first upper lip scale. The scale in front of its eye is about the same size as the eye scale itself, but much smaller than the nasal scale. This scale touches the second and third upper lip scales.
It's hard to see the snake's eyes. The scales above its eyes and on its forehead are larger than the scales on the rest of its body. It has four upper lip scales. The snake's body is very slender; its thickness goes into its total length about 57 to 60 times. Its tail is a bit longer than it is wide and does not have a sharp tip.
What Kind of Home Does It Like?
The L. simonii blind snake prefers to live in warm, dry places. It likes areas with shrubland, which means land covered in shrubs and bushes. It also enjoys Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, which is common in regions with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
How Is This Snake Protected?
The L. simonii snake is listed as "Least Concern" (LC) by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means that scientists believe the snake is not currently in danger of disappearing.
Species are given the "Least Concern" status for a few reasons:
- They are found over a wide area.
- They are thought to have a large population.
- Their numbers are not dropping quickly enough to be considered threatened.
This snake's status was last checked in 2005.
