Nyakatu

Nyakatu ni nyoka wasio na macho wala sumu wa familia Leptotyphlopidae. Kwa lugha nyingine huitwa “nyoka-nyungunyungu” mara nyingi, kwa sababu wengi wanafanana na nyungunyungu warefu. Wanafanana pia na birisi lakini hawa ni warefu kwa kulinganisha na mkia wa nyakatu ni sehemu kubwa ya mwili kuliko ule wa birisi (10-12% badala na 1-3%).

Nyoka hawa ni wafupi na wembamba, sm 46 kwa kipeo lakini sm 10-30 kwa kawaida. Wana mkia mrefu kiasi. Macho yao yamepunguka mpaka madoa meusi chini ya gamba yanayoweza kulinganua nuru na giza tu. Rangi yao ni nyeusi, kijivu, kahawia  au pinki. Rangi hiyo ya mwisho inaonekana wakati ngozi ni kavu.

Nyakatu huchimba ardhini na kuingia vishimo. Kwa sababu ya hiyo hawahitaji macho. Hula wadudu wanaoishi chini ya ardhi, kama vile mchwa, lava wa sisimizi na viroboto. Pengine hupatikana katika viota vya ndege ambapo hula viroboto wa ndege.

Nyoka hawa hawana sumu na kwa kisa chochote mdomo wao ni mdogo sana; kwa hivyo hawawezi kung'ata mtu na wanaweza kukamatwa bila shida.

Spishi za Afrika
 Epacrophis boulengeri, Nyakatu wa Lamu (Lamu worm snake)
 Epacrophis drewesi, Nyakatu wa Drewes (Drewes's worm snake)
 Epacrophis reticulatus, Nyakatu Madoadoa (Reticulate worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops aethiopicus, Nyakatu Habeshi (Ethiopian worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops conjunctus, Nyakatu wa Rasi (Cape thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops distanti, Nyakatu wa Distant (Distant's thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops emini, Nyakatu wa Emin Pasha (Emin Pasha's worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops howelli, Nyakatu wa Howell (Howell's worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops incognitus, Nyakatu Asiyejulikana (Incognita worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops jacobseni, Nyakatu wa Jacobsen (Jacoben's worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops kafubi, Nyakatu wa Shaba (Shaba thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops keniensis, Nyakatu wa Mlima Kenya (Mt. Kenya worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops latirostris, Nyakatu wa Uvira (Uvira worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops macrops, Nyakatu Macho-makubwa (Large-eyed worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops mbanjensis, Nyakatu wa Mbanja (Mbanja worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops merkeri, Nyakatu wa Merker (Merker's thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops nigricans, Nyakatu Mweusi (Black thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops nigroterminus, Nyakatu Mkia-mweusi (Black-tip worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops pembae, Nyakatu wa Pemba (Pemba worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops pitmani, Nyakatu wa Pitman (Pitman's thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops pungwensis, Nyakatu wa Pungwe (Pungwe worm snake)
 Leptotyphlops scutifrons, Nyakatu wa Peters (Peters's thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops sylvicolus, Nyakatu-misitu (Forest thread snake)
 Leptotyphlops telloi, Nyakatu wa Tello (Tello's thread snake)
 Myriopholis adleri, Nyakatu wa Adler (Adler's worm snake)
 Myriopholis albiventer, Nyakatu Tumbo-jeupe (White-bellied worm snake)
 Myriopholis algeriensis, Nyakatu Magharibi (Maghreb worm snake)
 Myriopholis boueti, Nyakatu wa Bouet (Bouet's worm snake)
 Myriopholis braccianii, Nyakatu wa Scortecci (Scortecci's worm snake)
 Myriopholis cairi, Nyakatu wa Kairo (Cairo blind snake)
 Myriopholis erythraeus, Nyakatu wa Eritrea (Eritrean worm snake)
 Myriopholis filiformis, Nyakatu wa Sokotra (Socotra Island worm snake)
 Myriopholis ionidesi, Nyakatu wa Ionides (Ionides's worm snake)
 Myriopholis lanzai, Nyakatu wa Ghat (Ghat Oasis worm snake)
 Myriopholis longicauda, Nyakatu Mkia-mrefu (Long-tailed thread snake)
 Myriopholis macrorhyncha, Nyakatu Pua-ndefu (Long-nosed worm snake)
 Myriopholis macrura, Nyakatu wa Boulenger (Boulenger's blind snake)
 Myriopholis narirostris, Nyakatu wa Gini (Guinean worm snake)
 Myriopholis nursii, Nyakatu wa Nurse (Nurse's blind snake)
 Myriopholis parkeri, Nyakatu wa Parker (Parker's worm snake)
 Myriopholis perreti, Nyakatu wa Perret (Perret's worm snake)
 Myriopholis rouxestevae, Nyakatu wa Roux-Estève (Roux-Estève's worm snake)
 Myriopholis tanae, Nyakatu wa Tana (Tana worm snake)
 Myriopholis wilsoni, Nyakatu wa Wilson (Wilson's worm snake)
 Namibiana gracilior, Nyakatu Mwembamba (Slender thread snake)
 Namibiana labialis, Nyakatu wa Damara (Damara thread snake)
 Namibiana latifrons, Nyakatu wa Benguela (Benguela worm snake)
 Namibiana occidentalis, Nyakatu Magharibi (Western worm snake)
 Namibiana rostrata, Nyakatu wa Bocage (Bocage's worm snake)
 Rhinoguinea magna, Nyakatu Mkubwa (Larger worm snake)
 Rhinoleptus koniagui, Nyakatu wa Villiers (Villier's worm snake)
 Tricheilostoma bicolor, Nyakatu Rangi-mbili (Two-coloured worm snake)
 Tricheilostoma broadleyi, Nyakatu wa Kodivaa (Ivory Coast worm snake)
 Tricheilostoma dissimilis, Nyakatu wa Sudani (Sudan worm snake)
 Tricheilostoma greenwelli, Nyakatu wa Nijeria (Nigerian worm snake)
 Tricheilostoma sundewalli, Nyakatu wa Sundevall (Sundevall's worm snake)
 Tricheilostoma bicolor, Nyakatu Rangi-mbili (Two-coloured worm snake)

Picha

Marejeo
 Spawls, S., Howell, K., Drewes, R. & Ashe, J. (2002) A field guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, USA.

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