It is also called the Indian sand-swimmer for its habit of moving just under the sand.

Snout wedge-shaped, with angularly projecting labial edge; mouth inferior.

Nostril close to the rostral, which is large and nearly reaches the posterior border of the supranasals; a small anterior and a larger second loreal, the latter usually coalesced with the prefrontal on each side; frontonasal rather large, one half or two thirds the length of the frontal; latter as broad as long or slightly broader, 3 or 4 very small supraoculars; no supraciliaries; a preocular; interparietal as long as broad, as long as the frontal or slightly shorter; frontoparietals small; parietals band-like, narrow; a pair of nuchals, in contact with the interparietal; first and second upper labials smallest, in contact with the nasal, fifth much larger than the four anterior together.

22 scales round the body, those of the back and of the two median ventral series narrower than the others.

Tail shorter than head and body, cyclotetragonal at the base, compressed and pointed at the end.