The family Uropeltidae, commonly known as shield-tailed snakes, belongs to the order Squamata and the suborder Serpentes. These snakes are small to medium-sized, non-venomous, and primarily fossorial, spending most of their lives burrowing in loose soil or leaf litter. They are mostly found in southern India and Sri Lanka, often in forested or mountainous regions. Uropeltids are characterized by their cylindrical bodies, smooth scales, and distinctive flattened or shield-like tails, which aid in digging. Their diet mainly consists of earthworms and other soft-bodied invertebrates. Due to their secretive lifestyle, they are rarely seen, but they play an important role in soil aeration and the invertebrate food web.