Western Wormsnake vs. Common Wormsnake

The two wormsnakes share the shape: tiny eyes, smooth glossy scales and a spine on the tail tip. Three things separate them. Back colour: the Western is glossy jet-black, dark slate or deep purplish-black; the Common is plain light brown, grey-brown or dark chocolate brown. Belly colour: the Western's belly is vibrant salmon-pink to bright red; the Common's is much paler, pinkish-yellow or flesh-coloured. Lateral height: on the Western the pink runs sharply up the sides, over one and a half to three scale rows above the belly plates; on the Common it reaches only the first scale row, or part of the second, before turning brown.

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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