About Arizona elegans Kennicott, 1859
This species, commonly called glossy snakes or faded snakes, and all its many subspecies share a similar overall appearance to gopher snakes. However, they are smaller than gopher snakes, with narrow, pointed heads, and a wide range of skin patterns and colorations. Their coloration is typically pale or washed-out, which gives them the common name "faded snakes". Most subspecies reach a total length of approximately 75 to 130 centimeters (about 30 to 50 inches). The maximum recorded total length for the entire species is 142 centimeters (56 inches). Their smooth, glossy skin is marked with spotted patterns, and occurs in shades of tan, brown, and gray. Their ventral (belly) surface is white or cream-colored and entirely unmarked. The species' coloration often matches the color of the soil found in its native habitat. This snake normally inhabits semi-arid grasslands in the southwestern United States, ranging from California in the west to Kansas in the east, and extends south as far as Texas and northern Mexico. Glossy snakes are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. Adult snakes breed in late spring and early summer. Clutches of eggs contain an average of 10 to 20 eggs. The eggs hatch in early summer, and newly hatched young are approximately 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) in total length.
