NCI 2024
    Groups
    Mammals Birds Amphibians Reptiles Myxini – Hagfishes Petromyz' – Lampreys Sharks & rays Animals Holocep' – Chimaeras Ray-finned fishes Dipneusti – Lungfish Gastropoda – Snails & slugs Coelac' – Coelacanths Insecta – Insects / bugs Arachnida – Spiders & scorpions Malacostraca – Malacostracans Diplopoda – Millipedes Bivalvia – Marine molluscs Cephalopoda – Squids & octopuses Chilopoda – Centipedes Pycnogonida – Sea spiders Merostomata – Horseshoe crabs More Classes
    Filters

    Regions

    See AllSelect

    Habitat

    See AllSelect

    Uropeltidae – Shield-tail snakes

    When threatened, they often coil their bodies into tight spirals, and their shielded tail presented to any potential attacker

    A distinctive group of snakes found primarily in the Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka. These snakes are particularly notable for their unique physical adaptations, which suit their burrowing lifestyle, making them fascinating subjects of ecological and evolutionary study.

    Shield-tail snakes are relatively small, typically ranging from 20 to 70 cm (8 to 28 in) in length. One of their most striking features is the shield-like structure at the end of their tails, from which they derive their name. This shield is actually a keratinized cap that serves multiple purposes: it protects the snake’s tail while burrowing, and it can be used to block the entrances of burrows against intruders or predators.

    The body of a shield-tail snake is stout and muscular, adapted for powerful burrowing. Their scales are smooth and often glossy, which helps reduce friction as they move through soil. The coloration of these snakes tends to be dark, usually ranging from black to various shades of brown, with some species exhibiting patterns such as stripes or spots that can provide additional camouflage in the leaf litter and underbrush of their forest habitats.

    Uropeltidae are almost entirely subterranean, spending the majority of their lives underground, where they hunt for their primary prey, earthworms and other soft-bodied invertebrates. This diet is well-suited to their underground existence, and their specialized skull and jaw morphology allows them to exert strong suction, which is necessary for pulling worms from the soil.

    Interestingly, shield-tail snakes have very small eyes that are more suited to detecting changes in light than to forming clear images, which is an adaptation to their dark, underground environment. Despite their limited vision, these snakes are quite adept at navigating their subterranean world, using a combination of tactile and chemical cues to find food and navigate.