Typhlopidae
Sharp-snouted Blind Snake
Anilios systenos
The Sharp-snouted Blind Snake is a slender, pale blind snake known from Western Australia around the Geraldton region and Mullewa.
Non-venomous
Identification and appearance
The Reptile Database describes a slender snake with a bluntly angular snout tapering to a rounded point, a faintly three-lobed view from above and a pale body that is slightly darker on the back.
Typical length
The Reptile Database diagnosis reports a total length up to about 27 cm. A typical adult interval has not been established here.
Body build
slender
Head appearance
tapering snout
Key identification features
- Slender blind-snake form
- Pale body, slightly darker above
- Snout tapers to a rounded point in the specialist diagnosis
Where it is found
Western Australia, around Geraldton and north-east towards Mullewa; AROD also notes a single record near Urawa Nature Reserve.
Reproduction
Egg-laying.
Medical significance
Blind snakes are non-venomous. If the snake has not been reliably identified and a bite is suspected, call 000 and follow snakebite first aid.
What to do if you encounter one
Leave it under cover and keep people and pets away.
Similar-looking snakes
No pairwise lookalike link is included because the necessary specialist comparisons are not useful for a safe casual encounter.
Taxonomy notes
This species was described in the Anilios leptosoma complex; the approved current name is Anilios systenos.
Sources checked
- Australian Reptile Online Database — Sharp-snouted blindsnake (2026-09-25)
- The Reptile Database — Anilios systenos (2026-09-25)
- Queensland Government — Snakes near you: Cairns region (2026-09-25)
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A profile is a guide, not a reason to approach or handle a snake.