This cute little snake was only four or five inches long. We found it crossing the road at night when we were driving to our motel. Leaf-nosed snakes have a large triangular scale on their snout, presumably to help them burrow.

Before the days of road-cruising to find snakes, this species was considered quite rare. Now they are found often enough on roads at night to be considered one of the most abundant snake species in the area. At least until they find some better way to census the species that are not typically found on roads at night.

Until recently this individual would have been considered a member of the subspecies P. d. nubilis, or Clouded Leaf-nosed Snake. But the official North American names book has taken the no-subspecies stance on Phyllorhynchus decurtatus.