McDowell's blind snake

McDowell's blind snake (Gerrhopilus mcdowelli) is a species of snake in the family Gerrhopilidae.

Etymology

The specific name, mcdowelli, is in honor of American herpetologist Samuel Booker McDowell Jr.

Geographic range

Gerrhopilus mcdowelli is endemic to Papua New Guinea.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Gerrhopilus mcdowelli is forest, at altitudes of .

Behavior

Gerrhopilus mcdowelli is terrestrial and fossorial.

Diet

Gerrhopilus mcdowelli preys upon larvae and adults of ants and termites.

Reproduction

Gerrhopilus mcdowelli is oviparous.

References

Further reading

• ; ; ; Donnellan, Steve; Branch, William R.; ; Vences, Miguel; ; ; Hedges, S. Blair (2010). "Blindsnake evolutionary tree reveals long history on Gondwana". Biology Letters 6: 558–561. (Gerrhopilus mcdowelli, new combination, p. 560).
• Wallach V (1996). "Two New Blind Snakes of the Typhlops ater Group from Papua New Guinea". Russian Journal of Herpetology 3 (2): 107–118. (Typhlops mcdowelli, new species).