The glossy snake (Arizona elegans) and its many subspecies are all similar in appearance to gopher snakes. They are small, with narrow, pointed heads, and a variety of skin patterns and colors. They are nonvenomous, nocturnal predators of small mammals and lizards, and can be found in sandy plains and deserts. Most subspecies are between 30 and 50 inches in length and are shades of tan, brown, and gray with spotted patterns on their smooth, glossy skin. Most subspecies are found in the United States and Mexico.

All species in the genus Arizona are called glossy snakes, but many are actually subspecies of Arizona elegans, which bears the common name glossy snake. These subspecies include:

• Arizona elegans candida - Western Mojave glossy snake
• Arizona elegans eburnata - desert glossy snake
• Arizona elegans elegans - Kansas glossy snake
• Arizona elegans expolita - Chihuahua glossy snake
• Arizona elegans noctivaga - Arizona glossy snake
• Arizona elegans occidentalis - California glossy snake
• Arizona elegans pacata - peninsula glossy snake

Arizona elegans philipi - Painted Desert glossy snake


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