The meaning of slither is to slide and there are various and there are various animals in nature that slither on the ground. Here is the list of animals that slither,
Animals That Slither
1. Legless Lizard
The legless lizard is one of the animals that slither that belongs to the family Pygopodidae. They are different from snakes since they have eyelids, possess external ear openings, lack broad belly scales, have notched rather than forked tongues, and have very long tails. It is also known as a Glass lizard and has a long tail with “fracture planes.” They are found in vacant lots, sparse wooded areas, or many other sandy habitats. The primary diet includes insects. Glass lizards feed on a variety of invertebrates, including spiders and grasshoppers. The avarage lifespan of a legless lizard in the wild is unknown, howvever, in captivity it is upto 20 years.
Image Source: Wikimedia
2. Slowworms
Slowworms are one of the land and water animals native to western Eurasia. Talking about the appearance, they are smooth with scales that do not overlap with one another. The female species can be identified with a stripe along the spine and dark sides and males have a blue spot dorsally. The juveniles of both sexes are gold in color with dark brown bellies and sides with a dark stripe along the spine. The average lifespan of slowworms is between 30 to 54 years.
Image Source: Bernt
3. Earthworm
Earthworm is an invertebrate that belongs to the Lumbricidae family. The name has been derived from the place where it lives and is abundant in rainforest areas and freshwater. The avarage lifespan of Earthworms is between 4 to 8 years, however, most garden worms do not exceed four years. They don’t have eyes and limbs either depending on the receptor cells located on their skin. Earthworms don’t have ears as well and depend on the vibration.
Image source: Wikimedia
4. Worm Lizards
Worm Lizards are a group of legless legless squamates characterised by thier long bodies, the reduction or loss of limbs, and rudimentary eyes. They are found in North America, Europe, Africa, South America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. They are terrestrial species that have well-developed legs. The dietary habit is insectivorous and feeds on a wide variety of arthropods, and larger species also prey on small vertebrates. The family is separated into two subfamilies,: girdle-tailed lizards which are viviparous, and plated lizards which are oviparous.
Also Read: 10 Animals That Jump
5. Ribbonfish
The Ribbonfish is a fish species that comes with fascinated anglers and prefers to live at the depths of the sea. They have a unique appearance that marks them different in the marine environment. They move in a slither way that relies on the bodies and their dorsal fins to propel them through the water. The primary diet of Ribbonfish consists of fish, squid, and small invertebrates. There is an interesting characteristic of ribbonfish that their jaws can significantly protrude when they are eating.
Image Source: Wikimedia
6. Blind Snakes
Blind snakes are openly confused with earthworms, however, they are snake species that come with pink or grey and have a forked tongue and smooth scales around their bodies. Talking about the appearance, they have small dark spots under the scales of the head and thier mouth is behind the tip of the snout. They are found in south-eastern Australia and are seen feeding on the eggs and larvae of ants and termites. Blind snakes are non-venomous and harmless.
Image Source: Jean
7. Sea Slugs
A sea slug is a type of marine gastropod mollusk in different shapes, sizes, and colors. They prey and feed on plankton, plant matter, and jellyfish. The body length of a sea slug is between 1/8 to 12 inches and the average weight is Up to 3.3lbs. These species lack shells and hence are dependent on strong scents to avoid predators. The species has both male and female sex organs and they can mate with any individual of the same species.
Image Source: Wikimedia
8. Ropefish
The ropefish’s scientific name is Erpetoichthys calabaricus is a freshwater fish species that belongs to the bichir family. It is a predator by its nature and used to feed on small fishes. The body length can grow upto up to 20 in (50 cm) long and bellied to be originated in West and Central Africa. The avarage lifespan of ropefish is between 10 to 15 years in captivity. The ordinary diet includes Carnivorous, feeding on small fish, insects, etc. They have an elongated body that comes with the snake-like body with thick and bony scales.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Sea Cucumbers
Sea Cucumbers are a type of invertebrate that can be seen in all the oceans. They prefer to live in shallow water, however, few species can be seen in the deep ocean as well. The name sea cucumbers comes from the cylindrical shape and the bumps all over their bodies. As of now, 1200 species of sea cucumbers are known to humans and have hard spiky skin. Sea cucumbers have two methods of reproduction. In the first scenario, the female species lays millions of eggs into the ocean as one method, and then male sex cells fertilize the eggs. The alternate method is sea cucumbers can split in two and produce their own young.
Image Source: Wikimedia
10. Caecilian
Caecilian is a mysterious blind amphibian that likes to live underground and looks similar to snakes and worms. They prey and feed on termites, earthworms, insects, and other invertebrates. The natural predator of species includes snakes, chickens, pigs, tenrecs, and fish. It will grow upto a length of between 3 to 5 inches and the average weight is upto 2.2 pounds. The unique characteristic is the hooked teeth in limited species that are used to peel and eat mother skin.
Image Source: Teague
These are 10 animals that slither. Kindly share and post your comments.
