World’s smallest snake rediscovered in Barbados

The world’s smallest snake, the Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae), previously feared extinct, has been rediscovered in Barbados after an absence of 20 years. The sighting occurred in March 2025 during an ecological survey conducted by the Barbados Ministry of the Environment and National Beautification in collaboration with the conservation organization Re:wild.

Key Facts about the Rediscovery and the Barbados Threadsnake:

• Last Sighting & “Lost to Science”: The snake had not been officially documented for nearly two decades, with its last confirmed sighting in 2006. It was included on Re:wild’s list of 4,800 plant, animal, and fungi species considered “lost to science.” The species was formally described in 2008 by American biologist S. Blair Hedges.
• Rediscovery Details: An ecologist named Connor Blades found the snake under a rock in the center of the island in a remnant patch of woodland. The identification was later confirmed under a microscope. A second individual was found about a month later.
• Physical Characteristics:
  • It is the smallest known snake species in the world.
  • Fully grown, it measures up to four inches (10 centimeters) long.
  • It is about the same width as a strand of spaghetti.
  • It is blind, with degenerate eyes located beneath opaque head scales, relying on touch and smell.
  • It has pale yellow dorsal lines along its slender body.
• Habitat and Diet:
  • It burrows in the ground, typically found under leaf litter, loose soil, and limestone rubble.
  • Its diet consists primarily of termites and ants, particularly their eggs and larvae.
• Reproduction:
  • The Barbados threadsnake reproduces sexually.
  • Females lay only one single, slender egg at a time. This contrasts with some other reptiles that can reproduce asexually.

(Source: TH)