The 'penis snake'

Photo: Austin Prechtel

The ‘penis snake’ is Florida’s latest invasive species

They aren’t technically snakes or penises, but scientists have now confirmed that Florida is currently home to the invasive “penis snake.”

The 'penis snake'

Photo: Austin Prechtel

They aren’t technically snakes or penises, but scientists have now confirmed that Florida is currently home to the invasive “penis snake.”

The first Florida Typhlonectes natans specimen, which was 2 feet long, was captured in 2019 in Miami’s C-4 Canal, near Miami International Airport. After it died in captivity, it was sent to the Florida Museum for DNA analysis.

Experts aren’t exactly sure how they were introduced in Florida, but the Florida Museum of Natural History says Typhlonectes natans are often bred in captivity and are the most common caecilian in the pet trade, so there’s a strong chance they were released as discarded pets.

According to a report for the Florida Museum of Natural History, recent DNA testing confirms that legless amphibians captured in Miami’s Tamiami Canal two years ago are, in fact, caecilians, otherwise known as penis snakes or rubber eels (they also aren’t eels).

Caecilians are amphibians with snake-like bodies that often look like earthworms are interesting animals.

Caecilians, which roughly translates to “blind ones” in Latin, have poor eyesight, but use a pair of sensory tentacles to help them find food. 

ALSO READ: Oh Ssssnap: Snake bites man’s genitals during visit to toilet

Cryptic yet fascinating at the same time. 

Little is known about Typhlonectes natans, but experts say they are an entirely separate order of amphibians, distinct from frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts, and prefer warm, slow-moving bodies of shallow freshwater with aquatic vegetation.

While they’re not much of a threat to humans, the Florida Museum of Natural History isn’t really sure how much of an impact these caecilians will have on native wildlife, other than that they hunt and scavenge for various kinds of small animals.

One species, Dermophis donaldtrumpi at just 10cm (3.93 inches) in length, is named after former U.S. president Donald Trump.

It was named after Trump to raise awareness about environmental issues as Trump often tweeted that climate change was a hoax. Typhlonectes natans, however, is described by some as resembling the reproductive organ of the human male.

ALSO READ: Snake on shore! Black Mamba discovered at Durban beach

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