Washington — A snake so small it could be mistaken for a worm has been spotted in Barbados, nearly two decades after it was thought to have been lost to science.
The Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae) was found hiding under a rock in central Barbados during an ecological survey in March by the Barbados Ministry of the Environment and National Beautification and conservation group Re:wild.
“Barbados threadsnakes are blind snakes, so they’re very cryptic,” said Connor Blades, a project officer with the ministry who helped make the discovery. “They’re quite rare also, it seems. There have only been a handful of confirmed sightings since 1889, so not many people have ever seen it.”
Measuring just three to four inches long (eight to ten centimeters) when fully grown—tiny enough to nearly fit on a US quarter—the Barbados threadsnake is the world’s smallest snake. It is distinguished by orange stripes along its back, eyes on the sides of its head, and a small scale on its snout.
The snake was taken to the University of the West Indies for examination to distinguish it from the similar invasive Brahminy blind snake. After validation, it was returned to the wild. “The threadsnake’s rediscovery is also a call to all of us as Barbadians that forests in Barbados are very special and need protection,” said Re:wild’s Justin Springer.
