1 Apico-basal cell intercalations (scutoids) optimize packing and energy 2 expenditure in curved epithelia. Further consequences of this new paradigm of 3 tissue packing remain uncharacterized. In particular, how scutoids modify the 4 3D cellular connectivity is an open question. This property is crucial for 5understanding epithelial architecture and is instrumental for regulating the 6 biological function of tissues. Here, we address this problem by means of a 7 computational model of epithelial tubes and a biophysical approach that links 8 geometrical descriptors with the energetic cost required to increase the cellular 9 connectivity. Our results predict that epithelial tubes satisfy a novel 10