Xerotyphlops vermicularis is a small, nonvenomous blind snake that spends most of its life underground. It has been recorded in eastern Georgia. It has a slender, wormlike body, and its eyes appear as dark dots beneath its scales. It is not dangerous to people.
Identification
How to identify European Blind Snake
It is a small, very slender blind snake. Its body looks like a worm, its scales are smooth and shiny, and its head is barely distinct from its neck. Its eyes are hidden beneath the scales and appear only as small dark dots.
Often confused with
The body is very thin and tube-shaped, with almost the same thickness from head to tail. It is usually brownish, yellowish or flesh-colored, with a lighter underside.
Its eyes are very small and appear as dark spots beneath the scales. Its head is not clearly distinct from its neck, making it look even more like a worm.
Its entire body is covered in smooth, shiny scales. Its slender body, which is almost the same width along its length, head that is barely distinct from the body, and very short tail distinguish it from other small snakes.
Eryx jaculus is much thicker than გველბრუცა. It has small but clearly visible eyes and a short, thick, blunt tail. გველბრუცა is much thinner, almost the same thickness along its length, and looks like a worm.
Gallery
European Blind Snake in photos
Distribution
Where European blind snake distribution is confirmed in Georgia
43 field records2012–20264 regions
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- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Confirmed distribution region
| regions | field records | |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution confirmed | ||
| Confirmed distribution region | 16 | |
| Confirmed distribution region | 14 | |
| Confirmed distribution region | 11 | |
| Recorded only | ||
| 2 | ||
The European blind snake map uses public iNaturalist observations in Georgia. Only regions marked confirmed in the records-by-region table are highlighted; isolated records do not establish region-wide distribution. Some public coordinates are obscured and do not count toward confirming a region. Record counts reflect observation effort, not population density.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
Biology
Diet, behavior, and conservation
Diet
It feeds mainly on ants, including their eggs, larvae and pupae. It also eats other small animals without backbones.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about European Blind Snake.
Yes. გველბრუცა is among the confirmed species in the 2026 Georgian checklist. The specimen examined came from Chachuna Reserve.
As of 2026, a specimen is known from Chachuna Reserve in eastern Georgia, along with photos from near Dali Mountain Reservoir and from Tbilisi.
No. Gvelbrutsa is a nonvenomous blind snake and is not dangerous to people.
No. Gvelbrutsa and dasavluri makhchobela are different species and look very different. Gvelbrutsa has a very thin, worm-like body and eyes that are barely visible. Dasavluri makhchobela is much thicker, with clearly visible eyes and a short, thick, blunt tail.
Its total length is usually 18–30 cm.
It mainly eats ants, including their eggs, larvae and pupae. It also eats other small animals without backbones.
Look for a very thin, worm-like body, shiny scales, and a head that is barely distinct from the neck. The eyes appear as tiny dark dots beneath the scales.
It is rarely seen, mainly at dusk or at night. You may also find it under a stone.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Distribution of snakes in Georgia
- The Reptile Database
- IUCN Red List 2017 — Xerotyphlops vermicularis
- Geniez 2018 — Snakes of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, pp. 45–46
- Boulenger 1913 — The Snakes of Europe, identification key, p. 22
- Ismailova & Rabadanova 2024 — Morphology of Xerotyphlops vermicularis in Dagestan
- Hedges et al. 2014 — Taxonomic framework for typhlopid snakes
- Kornilios et al. 2020 — Multilocus species-delimitation in the Xerotyphlops vermicularis complex
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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