Cryptophis nigrescens 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.

[2] Cryptophis nigrescens is found in the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria.

[1] Common names for the species include short-tailed snake,[1] small-eyed snake,[3] and eastern small-eyed snake.