Examples of animals that are blind include Blind Snakes, Eyeless Huntsman Spider, Eyeless Shrimp, Naked Mole-Rat, and Hydra.
Even though animals that are blind can’t see, they have some interesting ways of getting around and surviving – for example, by touch, smell, and echolocation. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the more common blind animals and discuss how they adapt to a life without sight.
Examples of Animals that Are Blind
1. Blind Flatworm
| Scientific Name | Platyhelminthes |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | marine and fresh water |
The blind flatworm is a type of parasitic worm that is often found infesting the intestines of mammals. These worms have no eyes, but they do have two small bumps on their heads that they use to sense light. Despite their lack of vision, these worms are able to find their hosts by following the gradient of light intensity.
Once they’ve found a suitable host, they attach themselves to the intestinal wall and feed on the host’s blood.
2. Blind Snakes
| Scientific Name | Indotyphlops braminus |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | southern California to western Texas |
One of the more common blind animals is the blind snake. As their name suggests, these snakes are born without eyes and rely heavily on their sense of touch to get around. Blind snakes are small in size and typically only grow to be about a foot long. In terms of diet, blind snakes mostly eat ants and termites.
Although they don’t have eyes, blind snakes do have a few light-sensitive cells on their head that help them orient themselves and find food. Blind snakes are also interesting in that they give birth to live young instead of laying eggs like most other snakes.
3. Blind Velvet Worm
| Scientific Name | Tasmanipatus anophthalmus |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | dry eucalypt forests |
The blind velvet worm is a small, segmented creature that lives in dark, humid environments such as caves and rain forests. It has no eyes, but it does have long, sensitive feelers that it uses to navigate its surroundings. The blind velvet worm is also covered in tiny hair-like bristles that help it detect changes in air movement, which is how it knows when something is nearby.
4. Blind Worm Lizard
| Scientific Name | Amphisbaena caeca |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Puerto Rico |
The blind worm lizard is a small, legless reptile that burrows through the ground in search of food. These lizards rely on their sense of touch and smell to find food and avoid predators. To help them move through the soil, they have sharp claws on their toes.
5. Cave Beetles
| Scientific Name | Glacicavicola bathyscioides |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | southern China |
Cave beetles are one of the most common blind animals. They are found in caves all over the world and have adapted to life without sight. They rely on their sense of touch and hearing to get around and find food.
Read Also: Can Beetles be Purple?
6. Cave Crayfish
| Scientific Name | Cambarus aculabrum |
| Type of Animal | Crustacean |
| Range | northern Arkansas |
Blind cave crayfish are one of the most common animals you’ll find living in complete darkness. These crayfish are born with eyes, but they soon degrade and disappear. Even though they can’t see, they use their other senses to get around and find food. They have long antennae that help them feel their way around, and they can also sense vibrations in the water.
Blind cave crayfish are mostly found in underground caves and caverns. They’re good swimmers and can move pretty quickly when they need to. When they’re predators are around, they use their long claws to defend themselves.
7. Cave Crickets
| Scientific Name | Rhaphidophoridae |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | caves |
Although most crickets are not blind, there is a species of cricket that lives in caves that is entirely blind. These cave crickets use their sense of hearing and touch to navigate their way around the dark caves they live in. They also have long feelers that help them find food and avoid predators.
8. Deep Sea Lobster
| Scientific Name | Acanthacaris caeca |
| Type of Animal | Crustacean |
| Range | the Phillipines |
Deep sea lobsters are a type of lobster that is found in the deep waters of the ocean. These lobsters are blind, but they have special adaptations that help them to get around and find food. For example, deep sea lobsters have long feelers that they use to touch and taste their way around the ocean floor. They also have special sensors on their tails that help them to sense the movement of other animals. This helps them to avoid predators and find food.
9. Eyeless Huntsman Spider
| Scientific Name | Sinopoda scurion |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | Laos |
This spider is found in Australia and gets its name from its ability to hunt without the use of eyes. Instead of relying on vision, this spider uses sensory hairs on its body to detect prey. Once it has located its target, the Eyeless Huntsman Spider will pounce and inject venom to kill the hapless victim.
10. Eyeless Shrimp
| Scientific Name | Rimicaris hybisae |
| Type of Animal | Crustacean |
| Range | Southern Europe |
Though they don’t have eyes, eyeless shrimp are still able to get around and find food using their other senses. These shrimp use their sense of touch and taste to navigate and find food. They also have long antennae that help them detect movement in the water around them.
Read Also: Do Amano Shrimp Eat Algae?
11. Faceless Cusk
| Scientific Name | Typhlonus nasus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Indian and Pacific Oceans |
A faceless cusk is a type of eel-like fish that is found in deep waters off the coast of Australia. They get their name from the fact that they lack any type of facial features, including eyes. Even though they can’t see, they are able to sense the movement of prey and predators around them using specialised organs in their head. They are able to twist and turn their bodies in order to catch prey or avoid becoming someone else’s meal.
12. Golden Mole
| Scientific Name | Chrysochloridae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | sub-Saharan Africa |
These little creatures are found in Africa and southern Asia. They’re burrowers, and use their powerful claws to dig through the ground. Golden moles are born blind, and their eyes are covered with skin.
Related Article: What Eats Moles?
13. Hydra
| Scientific Name | Hydra |
| Type of Animal | Hydrozoa |
| Range | inland freshwater systems |
Hydras are small, freshwater animals that lack both eyes and pigment. Even though they can’t see, they are able to detect the presence of other organisms by sensing changes in water pressure. Hydra use their tentacles to capture prey and bring it to their mouth for feeding.
14. Kaua’i Cave Wolf Spider
| Scientific Name | Adelocosa anops |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | Koloa Basin |
The Kaua’i cave wolf spider is a species of spider found only in Kaua’i, Hawaii. It was first described in 1974, and is notable for being one of the few known arachnids that is blind.
These spiders are small, with a body length of only about 6 mm (0.24 in). They are black with white markings and have long legs.
As their name suggests, these spiders live in caves. They build their webs near the entrances of caves, where there is some light.
15. Mexican Tetra
| Scientific Name | Astyanax mexicanus |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Mexico |
The Mexican Tetra is a small, freshwater fish that is found in rivers and streams in Mexico. Even though it is blind, the Mexican Tetra has adapted to its environment by using its sense of smell and hearing to find food and avoid predators.
16. Naked Mole-Rat
| Scientific Name | Heterocephalus glaber |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | eastern Africa |
The naked mole-rat is a rodent that is native to parts of East Africa. These unique creatures are blind, and they live in underground burrows where there is little to no light. Despite their blindness, naked mole-rats are able to get around their dark homes using their sense of touch. They have long, sharp nails that help them to feel their way around, and they use their teeth to communicate with each other.
17. Olm
| Scientific Name | Proteus anguinus |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, and Herzegovina |
The olm is a blind salamander that lives in caves in the Balkans. It can grow up to a foot long and is entirely aquatic. The olm uses its sense of smell and touch to find food and navigate its watery home. It is also sensitive to changes in pressure and temperature, which helps it avoid predators.
18. Spiny Blind Brotulid
| Scientific Name | Tauredophidium hextii |
| Type of Animal | Fish |
| Range | Indian and Pacific Oceans |
A spiny blind brotulid is a type of fish that is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These fish are small, translucent, and have a barbed spine on their back. The spine is used for defense and to help the fish feel its way around in the water.
19. Star-Nosed Mole
| Scientific Name | Condylura cristata |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | eastern Canada and the northeastern United States |
The star-nosed mole is a small, burrowing mammal that is found in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. This unique creature has a prominent nose shaped like a star, which is covered in 22 delicate, mobile tentacles.
These tentacles are used to help the mole locate food, as they are very sensitive to touch and vibrations. The star-nosed mole is completely blind, but its unique nose more than makes up for its lack of vision.
20. Texas Blind Salamander
| Scientific Name | Eurycea rathbuni |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | the Edwards Aquifer near San Marcos, Texas |
The Texas blind salamander is a permanently aquatic salamander that is only found in underground aquifers in central Texas. It is one of the largest cave-dwelling animals and can reach up to 8 inches in length.
The salamander has no eyes, but it does have dark pigmentation on its skin which helps it absorb light. It uses its sense of touch and taste to navigate and find food. The salamander feeds on small invertebrates that it finds in the water.
21. Yeti Crab
| Scientific Name | Kiwa hirsuta |
| Type of Animal | Crustacean |
| Range | hydrothermal vents |
The yeti crab is a blind species of deep-sea crab that is found in the Pacific Ocean. These crabs are white in color and have long, fluffy setae (bristles) on their bodies. The yeti crab is named after the mythical Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, due to its appearance.
Conclusion
There are a variety of animals that are blind, but they all have different ways of adapting to their condition. Some use echolocation, while others rely on their other senses to get by. Even though they may be at a disadvantage, these animals have found ways to thrive in the wild.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.