So it looks like the work week has started again as we all drink our coffee and try to recover from a great long weekend. While you get your caffeine fix, you might as well learn about the World’s Smallest Snake, the Barbados Threadsnake. This incredible creature was discovered on the tropical island of Barbados only a few years ago (in 2008). So let’s see what we can learn about this fairly new species. Okay, take one more sip of coffee and let’s get this Wild Fact started.
As mentioned the Barbados Threadsnake is the worlds smallest snake species. Honestly, you would probably mistake this slithery reptile for a worm. The adults are typically around 10 cm (less than 4″) long and can actually fit on a quarter. I included the picture above just to prove it to you. If that doesn’t put the size of this snake into perspective for you then perhaps this will. It is said that the Barbados Threadsnake is as thin as spaghetti. I guess this just goes to prove that not all snakes are big, scary and poisonous. 
So what does this tiny snake eat? Usually they feast on large mammals and birds. Okay, I am just messing with you, they actually feed on the larvae of termites and ants, which makes sense considering their size. Believe it or not though, it may be this food source that actually caused the Barbados Threadsnake to become so small. You see, on islands such as Barbados there are often vacant niches. For example, if there are no millipedes or centipedes living on the island then a snake may evolve down to this size and take over that available food source. So now the question is, does the Threadsnake eat insect larvae because they are small or are they small because they eat insect larvae. Yeah, you had better take another drink of coffee before thinking too much about that one.
Barbados Threadsnake Fast Fact – The Barbados Threadsnake will produce one large egg, in which the offspring that emerges is usually half the size of the adult. Proportionally, this is actually a pretty large baby compared to other snake species.
Well, I hope you enjoyed learning about a relatively new species of animal. See all of you tomorrow for another Wild Fact.
Using the premise of your question of why the threadsnake is so small, would it be larger if it were in an environment where the food source is larger? I feel philosophical today.
Hi Emma,
You are pretty philosophical, aren’t you? I do believe the reverse happens on these tropical islands as well. So if the island is missing a larger predator than something like a snake will become larger to take over that vacant niche. They will begin to feed on the food source that a larger predator would take care of.
So I guess it isn’t a question of whether the prey is larger or not but more along the lines of what predators are present on the islands.
Thanks for making me think!
dont know what im looking at