Painted Desert Glossy Snake
Arizona elegans phillipi

 

DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Arizona e. phillipi  occurs in southeastern and northeastern Arizona, and in central and southern New Mexico.

LEGAL STATUS: No Listings

MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Arizona elegans phillipi (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: phillipi, honors Phillip M. Klauber (son of Laurence M. Klauber)

Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jeager 1962

 

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