What key feature separates snakes in the Family Leptotyphlopidae from other snakes?
Answer
Having teeth only in the lower jaw
The family Leptotyphlopidae, which includes the Western Blind Snake, possesses several distinguishing morphological features. A primary characteristic used to separate these slender blind snakes from others is their dentition pattern: they possess teeth exclusively in the lower jaw. Furthermore, snakes in this family are noted for having smooth scales that are larger on the ventral side compared to those on the back, features that help solidify their placement in this specific family grouping, differentiating them from superficially similar snakes.
Related Questions
What is the current accepted genus name for the Western Blind Snake, *humilis*?What key feature separates snakes in the Family Leptotyphlopidae from other snakes?What meaning is associated with the specific epithet *humilis* used for *Rena humilis*?What structure must an organism possess during some life cycle stage to qualify for Phylum Chordata?Besides overlapping keratinous scales, what structural characteristic defines the Order Squamata?What primarily prompted the change in genus classification from *Leptotyphlops* to *Rena*?What common ecological role explains the reduced eyes and tapered snout of *Rena humilis*?In the Linnaean hierarchy, where is *Rena humilis* placed relative to turtles and crocodilians?What historical name synonym for the Western Blind Snake is found in older scientific literature?Which two key features, besides being multicellular and eukaryotic, define placement in Kingdom Animalia?