[1] This species is endemic to Colombia,[1] commonly found in Medellín and surrounding areas,[2] but has been incidentally collected in the United States.

[3][2] Oxyderces viridipes was described for the first time by Carl Henrik Boheman in 1840, page 179, under the genus Platyomus.

The taxonomic status of the species requires verification, since it can be easily confused with the genus Compsus.

[3][5] The original diagnosis, in Latin, offered by Boheman is as follows:[4] Oblongus, niger, squamulis laete virescentibus tectus, capite rostroque cupreo-squamosis; fronte foveolata, rostro medio utrinque impresso; thorace oblongo, dorso late parum profunde impresso, rude minus crebre rugoso; elytris dorso depressis, sat profunde punctato-striatis, interstitiis alternis modice elevatis, sutura late albo-squamosis, apice

ipso mucronatis, pedibus squamulis viridi-nitidis tectis.According to this diagnosis, the species can be recognized by the following features: dense cover of green scales; head and rostrum with cupreous scales; frons with a fovea, rostrum medially depressed; pronotum slightly depressed medially, coarsely rugose; elytra dorsally flattened, with moderately marked elytral punctures, with alternate interstriae moderately elevated, sutural region covered by white scales and apices projected; legs covered by shiny green scales.