Glossy snake (Arizona elegans)
The glossy snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 3,537 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 9 states, most of all California (1,425), Texas (751) and Arizona (717). Its observation records peak in May.
Arizona elegans is a species of medium-sized colubrid snake commonly referred to as the glossy snake or the faded snake, which is native to southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has several subspecies. Some have recommended that A. elegans occidentalis be granted full species status.
From Wikipedia: Glossy snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the glossy snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The glossy snake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Which states have the glossy snake?
Records are spread over 9 states; the top three, California, Texas and Arizona, hold 82% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,425 | 1.9% | 12th of 46 |
| 2 | Texas | 751 | 1.8% | 18th of 86 |
| 3 | Arizona | 717 | 3.5% | 9th of 60 |
| 4 | New Mexico | 298 | 4.6% | 5th of 56 |
| 5 | Kansas | 116 | 0.8% | 32nd of 44 |
| 6 | Nevada | 107 | 2.7% | 13th of 27 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 66 | 0.5% | 40th of 50 |
| 8 | Colorado | 33 | 0.9% | 12th of 26 |
| 9 | Utah | 17 | 0.5% | 15th of 28 |
When is the glossy snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the glossy snake run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 22% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (California) and latest in May (Arizona). Each of these states peaks in a different month: May in California, June in Texas and August in Arizona.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | April through September | June | 90 |
| California | March through September | May | 71 |
| Arizona | May through September | August | 30 |
Where the glossy snake is recorded in each state
California
California holds 1,425 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 46 snakes listed there. Its observation records in California run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from San Diego County, San Bernardino County and Riverside County. Next come Kern County (91) and Imperial County (79).
Texas
Texas holds 751 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly April through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from El Paso County, Winkler County and Andrews County. Next come Hudspeth County (41) and Brewster County (38).
Arizona
Arizona holds 717 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 60 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Arizona run mostly May through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Pima County, Maricopa County and Pinal County. Next come Cochise County (65) and Yuma County (45).
New Mexico
New Mexico holds 298 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 56 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in New Mexico come from Doña Ana County, Luna County and Hidalgo County. Next come Socorro County (15) and Grant County (13).
Kansas
Kansas holds 116 licensed records, the 32nd most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Morton County, Meade County and Finney County. Next come Cheyenne County (5) and Clark County (4).
Nevada
Nevada holds 107 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 27 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Nevada come from Clark County, Nye County and Lincoln County.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 66 licensed records, the 40th most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Woodward County, Ellis County and Cimarron County. Next come Cleveland County (5) and Alfalfa County (5).
Colorado
Colorado holds 33 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 26 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Colorado come from Pueblo County, Montezuma County and Otero County. Next come El Paso County (3) and Bent County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego County | California | 422 | 11.9% |
| 2 | San Bernardino County | California | 320 | 9.0% |
| 3 | Riverside County | California | 296 | 8.4% |
| 4 | Pima County | Arizona | 270 | 7.6% |
| 5 | Maricopa County | Arizona | 122 | 3.4% |
| 6 | Doña Ana County | New Mexico | 117 | 3.3% |
| 7 | El Paso County | Texas | 97 | 2.7% |
| 8 | Kern County | California | 91 | 2.6% |
| 9 | Pinal County | Arizona | 86 | 2.4% |
| 10 | Clark County | Nevada | 85 | 2.4% |
| 11 | Winkler County | Texas | 83 | 2.3% |
| 12 | Imperial County | California | 79 | 2.2% |
| 13 | Cochise County | Arizona | 65 | 1.8% |
| 14 | Andrews County | Texas | 58 | 1.6% |
| 15 | Fresno County | California | 54 | 1.5% |
How recent are the glossy snake records?
The glossy snake record leans on older material: only 7% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1973. The oldest dated record is from 1885; the busiest year was 1962, with 120 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1890s | 4 | 0.1% |
| 1900s | 6 | 0.2% |
| 1910s | 8 | 0.3% |
| 1920s | 23 | 0.7% |
| 1930s | 194 | 6.2% |
| 1940s | 198 | 6.4% |
| 1950s | 290 | 9.3% |
| 1960s | 721 | 23.2% |
| 1970s | 363 | 11.7% |
| 1980s | 286 | 9.2% |
| 1990s | 197 | 6.3% |
| 2000s | 303 | 9.8% |
| 2010s | 367 | 11.8% |
| 2020s | 144 | 4.6% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 101 counties where the glossy snake is most recorded, 83 are also top counties for the gopher snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the prairie rattlesnake and the western diamondback rattlesnake.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Gopher snake | 83 |
| Long-nosed snake | 70 |
| Coachwhip | 61 |
| Prairie rattlesnake venomous | 47 |
| Plains hog-nosed snake | 40 |
| Western ground snake | 39 |
| Ring-necked snake | 38 |
| Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous | 37 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Ring-necked snake, Northern water snake and Eastern racer.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.