Small-eyed Snake

Small-eyed Snake

Cryptophis nigrescens

Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Melbourne

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

6 Verified sightings at Melbourne
160 In all 5 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Small-eyed Snake

Cryptophis nigrescens, commonly known as the eastern small-eyed snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to eastern Australia. Cryptophis nigrescens was described by Albert Günther in 1862, assigning the new species to Hoplocephalus.

Cryptophis nigrescens is found in the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. Common names for the species include short-tailed snake, small-eyed snake, and eastern small-eyed snake. Cryptophis nigrescens is viviparous.

Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ)... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Denisonia nigrescens, p. 343).

Günther A (1862). "On new Species of Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Third Series 9: 124–132. (Hoplocephalus nigrescens, new species, p. 131 + Plate IX, figure 12). Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
2 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
3 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
4 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
5 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
2 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Bear Hollow Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Small-eyed Snake in Melbourne?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Small-eyed Snake sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 23 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Small-eyed Snake in Melbourne?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Small-eyed Snake in Melbourne on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Small-eyed Snake?

Between 6 and 9 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Small-eyed Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is Melbourne the best place to see a Small-eyed Snake?

Among the best

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Small-eyed Snake sightings, Melbourne ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Brisbane (Australia, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Small-eyed Snake live in Melbourne?

Same family: Elapidae

The closest relatives of the Small-eyed Snake that you can see in Melbourne (family Elapidae, Elapid Snakes) are Eastern Tiger Snake (about 10%), Lowlands Copperhead (about 10%) and Eastern Brown Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Small-eyed Snake sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Small-eyed Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Melbourne (6 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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