Diablo Gartersnake
Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus
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- T. a. zaxanthus – Contra Costa Co, CA – photo by Gary Nafis
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Thamnophis a. zaxanthus occurs in coastal central California.
LEGAL STATUS: No Listings
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus (Boundy – 1999)
Genus: Thamnophis, Greek – thamnos = shrub or bush + ophis = snake, serpent
Species: atratus, Latin = clothed in black
Subspecies: zaxanthus, Greek – za = good, intensive + xanthus = yellow – ref. “abundance of yellow on the dorsal pattern in contrast to other populations of T. atratus.” Boundy, 2002 pers. comm.
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962