Wildlifeof India
Uropeltis bhupathyi
Shieldtails, Blind & Burrowing Snakes
Photo: (c) Siva Naturewild, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY (May be cropped or resized)
Uropeltis bhupathyi
Basic stats
Diet
Earthworms
Range
Anaikatti hills, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu (only known site)
Size
About 40cm
Bhupathy's shieldtail is a non-venomous burrowing snake of the family Uropeltidae, endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India, so far traced only in the Anaikatti hills of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. It grows to about 40 cm in total length and usually feeds on earthworms (Wikipedia, general species account).
It has over 200 belly scales and 17 back scale rows at midbody. The tail is short and sharply cut off, the scales are keeled, and the tail shield is moderately developed.
Quick answers
- What does the Uropeltis bhupathyi eat?
- Earthworms
- Where is the Uropeltis bhupathyi found?
- Anaikatti hills, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu (only known site)
- How big is the Uropeltis bhupathyi?
- About 40cm