Typhlopidae
Roberts' Blind Snake
Anilios robertsi
A little-known blind snake described from the Shipton’s Flat area of north-eastern Queensland.
Non-venomous
Identification and appearance
A blind snake with a bluntly rounded snout. Its preserved specimen has dark upperparts and a white underside; this is not verified live colour.
Typical length
No independently verified typical adult range is given here.
Key identification features
- Bluntly rounded snout
- Documented in north-eastern Queensland
Where it is found
Known from the Shipton's Flat and Romeo Creek area of north-eastern Queensland.
Habitat
Recorded from eucalypt forest near Shipton's Flat in north-eastern Queensland.
Medical significance
Blind snakes are non-venomous. Identification from appearance alone remains uncertain; do not handle an unfamiliar snake.
What to do if you encounter one
Leave it undisturbed and keep people and pets away. Do not pick it up to inspect its scales or head.
Similar-looking snakes
Similar blind snakes require specialist identification.
Taxonomy notes
The species was described with A. aspina in a 1998 Queensland Museum paper; current sources use Anilios robertsi and retain the north-eastern Queensland type locality.
Sources checked
- Couper, Covacevich and Wilson 1998, Queensland Museum paper (2026-09-26)
- Reptile Database current taxonomy and diagnosis (2026-09-26)
- AROD species account (2026-09-26)
- Fauna of Australia Typhlopidae treatment (2026-09-26)
- NSW Government — Non-venomous blind snakes (2026-09-26)
- Queensland Government — Cape York priority fauna assessment (2026-09-26)
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A profile is a guide, not a reason to approach or handle a snake.