The Uropeltidae, the shieldtail or shield-tailed snakes, are a family of primitive, nonvenomous, burrowing snakes endemic to peninsular India and Sri Lanka. The name is derived from the Greek words ura ("tail") and pelte ("shield"), indicating the presence of the large keratinous shield at the tip of the tail. Seven or eight genera are recognized, depending on whether Teretrurus rhodogaster is treated in its own genus or as part of Brachyophidium. The family comprises over 50 species. These snakes are not well known in terms of their diversity, biology, and natural history.
Platyplectrurus madurensis, commonly known as the Travancore Hills thorntail snake, Palni purple-brown worm thorntail snake, or Madurai shieldtail, is a species of uropeltid snake. It is found in southern India and, depending on the source, Sri Lanka.
Platyplectrurus trilineatus, commonly known as the Tri-striped shieldtail snake or the lined thorntail snake, is a species of uropeltid snake endemic to the Western Ghats of Southern India. Like most other shieldtail snakes, it is presumed to be a nocturnal, fossorial snake inhabiting evergreen forests. A very rare snake, about which nothing is known in terms of live colouration and natural history.
Rhinophis oxyrhynchus, also known as Schneider's earth snake or Schneider's shieldtail, is a species of uropeltid snake endemic to Sri Lanka.
Rhinophis sanguineus, commonly known as the salty earth snake, is a species of uropeltid snake found in the Western Ghats of India.
Uropeltis ceylanica is a nonvenomous shield tail snake species endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. No subspecies are currently recognized; but the presence of several synonyms, many recently resurrected, calls for further taxonomic studies of this species complex.
Uropeltis ocellata is a non-venomous shield tail snake species found in southern India.
Smith's earth snake, also known commonly as the violet shieldtail, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to India.
Uropeltis is a genus of nonvenomous shield tail snakes endemic to peninsular India. As of 2017, 23 species are recognized.
Rhinophis saffragamus, the large shieldtail snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae, which is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Teretrurus rhodogaster is a species of nonvenomous shield tail snake, endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is known as Wall's shield tail snake, Palni Mountain burrowing snake, or red-bellied shieldtail.
Rhinophis blythii, or Blyth's earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to the rain forests and grasslands of Sri Lanka.
Rhinophis drummondhayi, commonly known as Drummond-Hay's earth snake, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to the forests, grasslands, and agricultural habitats of Sri Lanka.
Rhinophis lineatus, or striped earth snake or striped rhinophis, is a recently described fossorial species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka and only known from its type locality, Harasbedda near Ragala, Central Province.
Rhinophis erangaviraji, or Eranga Viraj's shieldtail snake, is a species of snake in the Uropeltidae family. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka and discovered from Rakwana area of Matara District.
Rhinophis zigzag, or Zigzag Shieldtail, is a species of snake in the Uropeltidae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Rhinophis roshanpererai, the Roshan Perera's shieldtail or Roshan Perera's rhinophis, is a species of snake in the family Uropeltidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. The species was first described from three specimens taken from Badulla District. The species lack pale stripes and possess three to four prominent spines with a small shield-tail.
Rhinophis goweri, also known as Gower's shieldtail snake, is a recently described, little-known species of snake of the family Uropeltidae. It is endemic to the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu in South India.
