Glossy snake
Arizona elegans is a species of medium-sized colubrid snake commonly referred to as the glossy snake or the faded snake, which is native to southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has several subspecies. Some have recommended that A. elegans occidentalis be granted full species status.
Subspecies
Subspecies of Arizona elegans include:Arizona elegans arenicola Dixon, 1960 – Texas glossy snakeArizona elegans candida Klauber, 1946 – Western Mojave glossy snakeArizona elegans eburnata Klauber, 1946 – Desert glossy snakeArizona elegans elegans Kennicott, 1859 – Kansas glossy snakeArizona elegans expolita Klauber, 1946 – Chihuahua glossy snakeArizona elegans noctivaga Klauber, 1946 – Arizona glossy snakeArizona elegans occidentalis Blanchard, 1924 – California glossy snakeArizona elegans philipi Klauber, 1946 – Painted Desert glossy snakeDescription
The glossy snake and its many subspecies are all similar in appearance to gopher snakes. However, they are smaller than gopher snakes, with narrow, pointed heads, and a variety of skin patterns and colors. They appear "washed-out" or pale, hence the common name, "faded snakes".Most subspecies are ca. 75–130 cm in total length. The maximum recorded total length for the species is 142 cm.
They are shades of tan, brown, and gray with spotted patterns on their smooth, glossy skin, and a white or cream-colored unmarked ventral surface. Coloration often varies in relation to the color of the soil in a snake's native habitat.