California Glossy Snake
Arizona elegans occidentalis
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- A. e. occidentalis – Fresno Co, CA – photo by Patrick Briggs
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- A. e. occidentalis – Fresno Co, CA – photo by Patrick Briggs
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- A. e. occidentalis – Riverside Co, CA – photo by Steve Bledsoe
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- A. e. occidentalis – San Diego Co, CA – photo by Kent VanSooy
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Arizona e. occidentalis occurs in coastal southern California and the Central Valley region of California.
LEGAL STATUS: Arizona e. occidentalis is protected in portions of Riverside and San Diego Counties in southern California.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Arizona elegans occidentalis (Klauber – 1946)
Genus: Arizona, 2 possible meanings
1. Spanish Term, arizonac which came from the Native American O’odham word “ali sonak” = place of springs – ref. to the Arizona region
2. Latin – arena = a sandy place + zonal = a zone or region
Species: elegans, Latin = neat, elegant
Subspecies: occidentalis, Latin = western, westerly
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jeager 1962