Forest sharp-tailed snake

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.

Forest sharp-tailed snake
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Apparently Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Contia
Species:	C. longicauda
Binomial name
Contia longicauda Feldman & Hoyer, 2010
Synonyms
Contia longicaudae Feldman & Hoyer, 2010 Contia longicauda Crother et al., 2012 Contia longicauda Wallach et al., 2014

Geographic range

C. longicaudae is found in northern California and southern Oregon.

Distribution and habitat

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 C. tenuis, the secretive nature of both species of sharp-tailed snakes, and their seasonally limited amount of activity.

Identification

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.