The family Leptotyphlopidae has strictly subterranean habits and is highly specialized for a fossorial lifestyle, which explains why its members almost always go unnoticed. This cryptic way of life has historically hindered their study, leading to information gaps and debates about their true diversity.

In Venezuela, this family is represented by the genera: Epictia, Siagonodon, and Trilepida, although it has been subject to constant revisions due to a complex and unstable taxonomic history, with frequent changes in the delimitation of genera and species.

They generally measure between 15 and 25 cm in length, with extremely reduced eyes and anatomy adapted for movement underground, including smooth scales and specialized cranial structures for orientation in dark environments. They are harmless and lack venom. Their diet consists mainly of ants, termites, and their larvae. Due to their appearance, they are often mistaken for earthworms. Their conservation depends on the integrity of natural soils.