Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 41 
Key to the South African Genera and Species of 
Snakes. 
1. Eyes rudimentary ... ... ... ... ... 2 
Eyes well developed ... ... ... ... ... 15 
2. At least eighteen scales round the body. 
Typhlops ... ... ... ... 3 
Only fourteen scales round the body. 
Glaucoma ... ... ... ... ... 12 
3. Nostral between two nasals ... ... ... ... 4 
Nostril semi-divided ... ... ... ... ... 5 
4. Snout rounded, nostrils lateral (20 scales round the body, 
diameter of the body contained 35-55 times in total length). 
Typhlops braminus ( Baud .) 
Snout with obtusely angular horizontal edge, nostrils inferior : 
(24 scales round the body, diameter of body contained 30 
times in total length). 
Typhlops mossambicus (Peters). 
5. Snout with angular horizontal edge ... ... ... 6 
Snout rounded, no angular horizontal edge ; (22 scales round the 
body, diameter of body .contained 42 times to 45 times in 
total length). 
Typhlops verticalis (Smith). 
6. The cleft in the nasal proceeds from the first labial ... ... 7 
The cleft in the nasal proceeds from the lower lateral border of 
the rostral ; (30-32 scales round the body, diameter of the 
body contained 24 times in the total length). 
Typhlops anchietse Boeage. 
7. The rostral extends to the level of the eyes ... ... ... 8 
The rostral does not extend to the level of the eyes ; (Snout 
strongly hooked with sharp cutting edge, 26 scales around 
the body, diameter of the body contained 45 times in the 
total length). 
Typhlops schinzi Boettger. 
8. Edge of snout sharpty angular ... ... ... ... 10 
Edge of snout obtusely angular ... ... ... ... 9 
9. Prasocular in contact with the second and third labials ; (24 to 
30 scales round the middle of the body, 26 to 32 anteriorly, 
diameter of body 21 to 32 times in total length). 
Typhlops punctatus (Leach). 
Praeocular in contact with the second labial ; (30 to 32 scales 
round the middle of the body 32 to 34 anteriorly, diameter 
of body 28 to 36 times in total length). 
Typhlops bibroni (Smith). 
10. The portion of the rostral visible from below broader than long 1 1 
The portion of the rostral visible from below as broad as long ; 
(30 to 36 scales round the body, diameter of the body 
contained 25 to 30 times in the total length). 
Typhlops mucroso (Peters). 
11. 40 to 42 scales round the middle of the body, diameter of body 
contained 25 to 30 times in the total length. 
Typhlops sch'legeli Bianconi. 
28 to 30 scales round the middle of the body, diameter of body 
contained 35 to 50 times in total length. 
Typhlops delalandi Schlegel. 
12. Snout hooked, the prmoral portion concave interiorly, rostral 
extending far beyond the posterior border of the eye. 
Glauconia distant! Boulenger. 
Snout not hooked, rostral extending at the most only slightly 
beyond the posterior border of the eye ... 
13 
