Eranga Viraj's Shieldtail Snake

Eranga Viraj's shieldtail is a burrowing uropeltid endemic to Sri Lanka, discovered in the Rakwana area of Matara District. It lives in forest and grassland at 900 to 1,300 m and has also been found in disturbed areas such as tea plantations and home gardens. It is terrestrial and fossorial, burrowing as deep as 1 m in loose soil. The largest paratype measured 29 cm from snout to vent (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is easily told from other Sri Lankan shieldtails by colour: the head is black with irregular yellow spots and the body black with some irregular yellow patches, the belly cream with a stripe along the vent, and the tail shield black with small spines. Mating may occur in July and August, since juveniles are seen from October to January. Nationally Critically Endangered (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).