About Contia longicaudae Feldman & Hoyer, 2010
Identification: The simplest way to distinguish Contia longicaudae from the closely related Contia tenuis is by examining tail length and subcaudal scales. The forest sharp-tailed snake (C. longicaudae) has a longer tail and more subcaudal scales than C. tenuis. C. longicaudae has between 43 and 58 subcaudal scales, while C. tenuis only has 24 to 42.
Geographic range: C. longicaudae occurs in northern California and southern Oregon. Distribution and habitat: This species is less widespread than its relative Contia tenuis, the common sharp-tailed snake. It inhabits shaded, wet forests along the western coast of the United States. This species remained undetected by researchers for a long time, due to its strong morphological similarity to C. tenuis, the secretive behavior shared by both sharp-tailed snake species, and the limited seasonal activity of these snakes.
