The Glossy Snake is a medium sized species of colubrid snake that is native to the South-Eastern United States and Mexico.
This species is also referred to as the faded snake and most sub-species grow to between 3-4 feet in length.
Glossy Snake Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The Glossy Snake belongs to the Colubridae or Colubrid family of snakes. This is the largest family of Snakes in the world consisting of many popular species such as Pine Snakes and Milk Snakes.
With around 250 different genera of Colubrids, these snakes can be found on every continent except Antarctica which also makes them the most widely distributed family of snake in the world.
The vast majority of Colubrid snakes are non-venomous, or at least contain a venom that isn’t considered to be medically significant to humans.
However, there are a number of species of Colubrid snakes that contain venom capable of killing humans. This includes species from the Boiga and Rhabdophis genera as well as other snakes such as the Boomslang.
Genus
The genus that the Glossy Snake belongs to is called Arizona and all the snakes in this genus are native to the United States and Mexico.
There are actually only two species in this genus at the time of writing, with the other being Arizona pacata.
Species
The scientific name for the Glossy Snake is Arizona elegans and there are currently 8 recognised sub-species of this snake.
The species was first described in 1859 by two American herpetologists named Robert Kennicott and Spencer Fullerton Baird.
Baird described a number of species including the Sharptail Snake, the Western Hognose Snake, the Great Plains Rat Snake and the Slender Glass Lizard.
There are currently eight recognised sub-species of Glossy Snake, these are:
- Texas Glossy Snake
- Mojave Glossy Snake
- Desert Glossy Snake
- Kansas Glossy Snake
- Arizona Glossy Snake
- California Glossy Snake
- Painted Desert Glossy Snake
- Chihuahuan Glossy Snake
Glossy Snake Description
The Glossy Snake is a medium-sized species of snake that can grow to 75-130cm in length.
The size and appearance of these snakes can vary from sub-species to sub-species bit they have many common characteristics.
These snakes get their common name from their smooth, shiny scales. These scales give the snake a ‘Glossy’ appearance.
The background color of the snake is usually beige or grey while their body is covered in darker spots or blotches.
These darker blotches can vary in color from brown, golden, olive green or grey in color. They also have a dark tint on the edges of their scales.
These markings are very prominent in juveniles but tend to fade as the snake ages.
They typically have a dark stripe running from their eye towards the back of their head. This is somewhat similar to the stripe seen on a Boa Constrictor.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Glossy Snake has a very large geographical range which extends throughout much of the Southern United States and Northern Mexica.
In the United States, these snakes can be found on the Western Coast in California with their range extending into Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
They can also be found in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and down into Texas.
In Mexico, these snakes can be found on the Baja California Peninsula. They can also be found throughout much of Northern Mexico.
They can be found in regions such as Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.
The Glossy Snake likes to live in semi-arid habitats which include grasslands, sandy deserts scrubland and rocky areas.
They are typically found in open areas where the soil is sandy. They can be found at elevations of over 2,000 meters.
Glossy Snake Behaviour
The Glossy Snake are a relatively calm species of snake. They don’t tend to be territorial and while they are solitary animals, they can tolerate other snakes around them.
They are a nocturnal species meaning they are mostly active at night and sleep during the daytime. Sometimes, they can be mostly active during the twilight hours.
They are primarily active during the warmer months of the year, typically between April and September. However, this can vary between sub-species and the location of the snake.
These snakes are excellent burrowers and have adapted well to a fossorial lifestyle. They even have a countersunk lower jaw to prevent sand from getting in their mouth while burrowing.
While they are well able to burrow, they will also take advantage of rodent burrows and rock crevices as an easy retreat.