The forest sharp-tailed snake (Contia longicaudae) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the western coast of the United States.[3]
C. longicaudae is found in northern California and southern Oregon.[3]
The forest sharp-tailed snake is not as widespread as its relative Contia tenuis (the sharp-tailed snake). The forest sharp-tailed snake is found in shaded wet forests along the western coast of the United States. The forest sharp tailed snake went unnoticed for a long time due to its vast similarities to Contia tenuis and because of the secretive nature of both species of sharp-tailed snakes, and also of their seasonally limited amount of activity.[2]
The easiest way to set the two species apart is by looking at the tail length and the subcaudal scales. The forest sharp-tailed snake has a longer tail than Contia tenuis and more subcaudal scales. Specifically, the forest sharp-tailed snake has 43 to 58 subcaudal scales, whereas Contia tenuis has 24 to 42.[3]
The forest sharp-tailed snake (Contia longicaudae) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the western coast of the United States.
