[6] The specific name, leucurus, meaning "whitetail", is from the Latin words leucus (white) and urus (tail).

[9] It is a snake with terrestrial behavior, growing on average in 250–1840 mm, mainly found in forests, arid, semi-arid, dry, humid and sub-humid regions.

[10] Bothrops leucurus is found in eastern Brazil along the Atlantic coast from northern Espírito Santo north to Alagoas and Ceará.

The identity of disjunct populations west of the Rio São Francisco is uncertain.

[3] The gestation period is four months, and a medium-sized litter is 19 young, birth occurs between winter and summer.