Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae), recorded as Critically Endangered
Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Barbados threadsnake

Tetracheilostoma carlae

The Barbados threadsnake is a snake endemic to Barbados, thought to be one of the smallest snakes in the world.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Tetracheilostoma carlae
Recorded from
Mexico, Barbados
Taxonomy
Squamata · Leptotyphlopidae · Tetracheilostoma

Appearance

The snake is said by Hedges to be "about as wide as a spaghetti noodle." T. Carlae is distinguished from the similar Indotyphlops braminus by its dorsal lines and shorter length.

The Barbados threadsnake is a snake endemic to Barbados, thought to be one of the smallest snakes in the world.

The average total length (among them tail) of T. Carlae adults is approximately 10 cm (3.94 inches), with the largest specimen found to date measuring 10.4 cm (4.09 inches) in total length.

Range and habitat

Barbados threadsnake is recorded from Mexico and Barbados.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet and breeding

T. Carlae is thought to feed primarily on a diet of termites and ant larvae. The female of this snake species, T. Carlae, produces only one large egg at a time.

In crisis

Essentially, Barbados has no original forest remaining, even so, this native species very likely requires a forest habitat for survival since it evolved in the presence of forests.

Barbados threadsnake is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Barbados threadsnake, Wikidata item Q310908. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of St. Lucia threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma breuili), recorded as EndangeredEN

St. Lucia threadsnake

Tetracheilostoma breuili
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Quick answers

What is Barbados threadsnake?
Barbados threadsnake is a lizard or snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae — Tetracheilostoma carlae.
What is the conservation status of Barbados threadsnake?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Tetracheilostoma carlae. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Barbados threadsnake live?
The Barbados threadsnake is a snake endemic to Barbados, thought to be one of the smallest snakes in the world.
Why is Barbados threadsnake in crisis?
Essentially, Barbados has no original forest remaining, even so, this native species very likely requires a forest habitat for survival since it evolved in the presence of forests.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Tetracheilostoma carlae?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Barbados threadsnake a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.