Is a legless lizard with a highly elongated, snake-like morphology, characterized by the extreme reduction of its limbs, which are represented only by minute, scale-like vestigial flaps near the vent. The cylindrical body is covered with smooth, glossy, overlapping scales that give it a polished appearance. Dorsal coloration is typically bronze-brown or grayish, adorned with a distinct dark vertebral stripe running from the nape to the tip of the tail, bordered by thinner lateral lines. Its tail is remarkably long and fragile, capable of undergoing caudal autotomy when grabbed. Adults of Ophiodes vertebralis typically measure between 120 and 160 mm in snout-vent length, although the complete tail can significantly double this total length.

Geographical distribution: Is widely distributed across the temperate and subtropical grasslands of southern South America. It is natively found in southern Brazil (primarily the state of Rio Grande do Sul), throughout the entire territory of Uruguay, and across the eastern and central provinces of Argentina, including Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Santa Fe, Córdoba, and Corrientes.

Habitat: Prefers pampean grasslands, temperate savannas, and sandy coastal dune systems. It is closely associated with humid microhabitats, sheltering beneath rocks, rotting logs, leaf litter, and dense tufts of native bunchgrasses. This species shows moderate tolerance to disturbed areas, occasionally inhabiting rural pastures and road edges where loose soil and adequate ground cover persist.

Feeding: Functions as an opportunistic predator with a strictly insectivorous diet. It actively searches for and consumes a diverse array of small ground-dwelling invertebrates. Its prey consists mainly of spiders, orthopterans (such as crickets and grasshoppers), beetle larvae, earthworms, and small terrestrial snails, which it captures by utilizing its keen chemosensory abilities.

Behavior: Displays semifossorial and cryptozoic habits, spending most of its life cycle hidden beneath cover or tunneling through soft topsoil. Locomotion is strictly serpentine, relying on lateral undulation to slide swiftly through dense grass. When confronted by a threat, it relies on crypsis; if seized, it readily employs tail autotomy, sacrificing its wriggling tail to confuse predators while making a quick escape.

Reproduction: Exhibits a viviparous reproductive strategy, a notable trait among many high-latitude diploglossid lizards. Females of Ophiodes vertebralis carry the developing embryos internally, giving birth to fully formed, free-living young instead of laying eggs. The reproductive cycle is seasonal, with births primarily occurring during the late summer months, yielding litters that typically range from 3 to 12 offspring depending on maternal body size.

Conservation status: Is not globally classified under any major threat category, often regarded as Least Concern (LC) or not yet fully evaluated by international conservation bodies. Locally, however, its populations face localized declines due to habitat fragmentation driven by intensive agriculture, urban expansion over coastal sand dunes, and the widespread application of pesticides that decimate its invertebrate food source.