The specific name, petersi, is in honor of German herpetologist Wilhelm Peters (1815–1883).

[2] U. petersi is found in southern India in the Anaimalai Hills, at elevations of 4,000–5,000 ft (1,200–1,500 m).

The rostral is slightly less than ¼ the length of the shielded part of the head.

The eye is small, its diameter less than ½ the length of the ocular shield.

The tail is round or slightly laterally compressed, the terminal dorsal scales distinctly pluricarinate.