Snake blind

The blind snake Leptotyphlops dulcis is a specialized burrower that feeds on termites and ant brood. It follows the ant pheromone trails to find its prey (Section 12.1). when attacked by ants, this snake tilts its scales individually so that the skin appears silvery. While it writhes, it covers itself with feces and a clear viscous fluid, discharged from the anus. It may also assume a stationary coiled position. when it resumes searching and feeding, it is no longer attacked by ants. The effect lasts from 3 to 30 minutes (Gehlbach etal., 1968). Here a predatory species protects itself from the defensive actions of its prey. 

The cloacal secretion ofL. dulcis also repels its predators, ophiophagous snakes. All flve species of the tested colubrid snakes are repelled, including the ophiophagous species Diadophis punctatus and Lampmpeltis triangulum. However, the cloacal secretion attracts conspecifics. This attraction possibly evolved first as the most important function of the secretion for the blind snakes (Watkins et ah, 1969). 

Blind snake Formicidant Skatole (attracts, but repels other Watkins eta/.. 

Blind snakes find their prey by using the prey s pheromones. The wormlike Texas blind snake, Leptotyphlops dulcis, of the southwestern United States leads a subterranean life and feeds on termites and ant brood. It finds ants by following their pheromone trails (Gehlbach etal, 1968). Other blind snakes such as the American blindsnake, Typhlops pusillus (Gehlbach et al, 1971), and the Australian blindsnake, Ramphotyphlops nigrescens (Webb and Shine, 1992), also follow odor trails of ants, their prey. Texas blind snakes are attracted to the simple alkaloid skatole (methyl indole Fig. 12.4), an amine with an unpleasant odor from the ant Neivamyrmex sp. (Watkins etal, 1969). 

Watkins, J. F., II, Gehlbach, F. R., and Kroll, J. C. (1969). Attractant-repellent secretions of blind snakes (Leptotyphlops dulcis) and their army ant prey [Neivamyrmexnigrescens). Ecology 50,1098-1102. 

Fan HW, Marcopito LF, Cardoso JL, Franca FO, Malaque CM, Ferrari RA, Theakston RD, Warrell DA. Sequential randomised and double blind trial of promethazine prophylaxis against early anaphylactic reactions to antivenom for bothrops snake bites. BMJ 1999 318(7196) 1451-2. 

Among the few predators of army ants, is the blind snake, Leptotyphlops dulcis, which attacks Neivamyrmex nigrescens and N. opacithorax (Watkins et al., 1969). It is able to locate army ants by following their trails. If attacked by the ants, it releases a cloacal sac secretion containing fatty acids in a slippery... 

Fig. 15.14 Diagram to show the chemical stimuli involved in reactions between the blind snake Leptotyphlops dulcis and its prey, Neivamyrmex nigrescens, according to hypotheses of Watkins et al. (1969) and Blum et al. (1971). Plus signs indicate attraction ( + ) repellency (-).

Gehlbach, F.R., J.F. Watkins H.W. Reno. 1968. Blind snake defensive behavior elicited by ant attacks. BioScience 18 784-785. 

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