Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus, the spotted leafnose snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The snake is found in the United States and Mexico. Phyllorhynchus decurtatus is a small snake ranging from around 150–450 mm (5.9–17.7 in) in length. The dorsal half of its body varies in color but is generally light brown, with some individuals appearing more cream, pink, or grey colored. Its patterning consists of dark, irregular blotches down the length of its back, and the amount of spots varies between individuals and populations. Markings come in various shades of brown, and are darker along their borders. The amount of blotches on the body range from 18 to 60, and the amount on the tail ranges from 2-15. This species has a dark band running across both of the eyes, which have vertical pupils. It also has a large rostral scale, hence the common name leafnose snake.
The range of Phyllorhynchus decurtatus extends throughout the southwestern United States in the states of California, Nevada, and Arizona, with a single specimen having been spotted in southern Utah. In Mexico it can be found along the coastline of the Gulf of California... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Leaf-nosed Snake sighting in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 27th most-seen of the 39 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Western Leaf-nosed Snake in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September and November–April, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Leaf-nosed Snake sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Western Leaf-nosed Snake sightings, Joshua Tree National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Death Valley National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Western Leaf-nosed Snake that you can see in Joshua Tree National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Gopher Snake (about 30%), Coachwhip (about 30%) and Western Patch-nosed Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Leaf-nosed Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Joshua Tree National Park (13 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
