Identifying Sharp-tailed Snakes (Contia)

Two species of Sharp-tailed snakes are found in California:

Contia tenuis - Common Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia longicauda - Forest Sharp-tailed Snake

Contia tenuis - Common Sharp-tailed Snake, is more widespread and more commonly encountered, typically underneath surface objects in open, moist, sunny areas in late winter and spring. Also often found underneath objects and in piles of leaves or other vegetation in backyards.

Contia longicauda is found in shaded wet forests along the northern coast.


Contia longicauda went unnoticed for a long time because of its similarities to Contia tenuis and because of the fossorial and secretive nature of sharp-tailed snakes and of their seasonally-limited period of activity.

The easiest way to differentiate the two species in the field is to look at the caudal scales and the tail length. (Caudal scales are the scales on the tail behind the cloaca.) This means the snake must be picked up and turned over so you can count scales - not an easy thing to do with a tiny, squirming snake.

C. longicauda has a longer tail with more caudal scales than C. tenuis.
C. longicauda has from 43 to 58 caudal scales,
C. tenuis has from 24 - 43.

The tail of C. longicauda averages 20 percent of the total length of the snake.
The tail of C. tenuis averages 14.5 percent of the total length.

C. longicauda has narrow black crossbars marking the anterior portion of the ventral scutes, covering only 1/3 to 1/4 of each ventral. The cross bands on C. tenuis are thicker, covering 1/2 to 1/3 of each ventral.

There are also subtle differences in dorsal and ventral coloration and pigmentation, but these probably won't help in identification.

Contia longicauda went unnoticed for a long time because of its similarities to Contia tenuis and because of its small size, fossorial and secretive nature, and seasonally-limited period of activity.

The easiest way to differentiate the two species in the field is to look at the caudal scales and the tail length. (Caudal scales are the scales on the tail behind the cloaca.) C. longicaudae has a longer tail with more caudal scales than C. tenuis. C. longicauda has from 43 to 58 caudal scales, while C. tenuis has from  24 - 43. The tail of C. longicauda averages 20 percent of the total length of the snake. The tail of C. tenuis averages 14.5 percent of the total length.

C. longicauda has narrow black crossbars marking the anterior portion of the ventral scutes, covering only 1/3 to 1/4 of each ventral. The cross bands on C. tenuis are thicker, covering 1/2 to 1/3 of each ventral.

There are also subtle differences in dorsal and ventral coloration and pigmentation, but these probably won't help in identification.