Description
The average length of Leptotyphlops carlae adults is approximately 10 cm, (4 inches), with the largest specimen found to date measuring 10.4 cm (4.09 inches). The snakes are said to be "as thin as spaghetti." The photograph above shows L. carlae on a quarter dollar, a coin with a diameter of 24.26 mm (0.955 inches).
L. carlae is thought to feed primarily on a diet of termites and ant larvae. Threadsnakes are oviparous, laying eggs to reproduce. The female of this snake species produces only one large egg at a time. The emerging offspring is about half the length of the mother.
Small species of snake such as L. carlae have new-born offspring that are proportionately larger relative to adults, when compared to larger species of snake. This follows the biological trait that the smallest snakes tend to have offspring that—proportionately—are enormous relative to the adults by comparison to other species. The figure to the left demonstrates that the offspring of the largest snakes (see pointer) are only one-tenth the length of an adult, whereas offspring of the smallest snakes typically are one-half the length of an adult. The scale relationship presented is only of offspring to adult of the same species, not comparing adults. Tiny snakes produce only one, massive egg—relative to the size of the mother—which may suggest that there is a size limit for snake species below which survival is difficult, for internal physiological or external competitive reasons.
Read more about this topic: Barbados Threadsnake
Famous quotes containing the word description:
“I fancy it must be the quantity of animal food eaten by the English which renders their character insusceptible of civilisation. I suspect it is in their kitchens and not in their churches that their reformation must be worked, and that Missionaries of that description from [France] would avail more than those who should endeavor to tame them by precepts of religion or philosophy.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“It [Egypt] has more wonders in it than any other country in the world and provides more works that defy description than any other place.”
—Herodotus (c. 484–424 B.C.)
“Once a child has demonstrated his capacity for independent functioning in any area, his lapses into dependent behavior, even though temporary, make the mother feel that she is being taken advantage of....What only yesterday was a description of the child’s stage in life has become an indictment, a judgment.”
—Elaine Heffner (20th century)