Desert ecosystems shape diversification in glossy snakes (genus Arizona) requiring a re-alignment of evolutionary and conservation units

Subspecies are often targets for conservation, yet many lack the genetic data necessary to validate their status as distinctive evolutionary lineages. In 2016, conservationists faced this issue when designating the California glossy snake, Arizona elegans occidentalis, as a Species of Special Concern in California, a decision prompted by population declines and habitat loss but absent of genetic information about its evolutionary integrity. To address this knowledge gap, we collected genomic and mitochondrial data from a rangewide sample of the Arizona elegans complex (n = 257) and characterized genetic structure at varying spatial scales. We confirmed an east–west phyletic division within the A. elegans complex that correlates with an ecotone between the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts and pinpoint the separation to a ∼20 km area in southeastern Arizona, USA. Individuals recognized as A. e. occidentalis do not form a genetically cohesive unit within a more inclusive western clade that is sister to the endemic Arizona pacata in Baja California, México. We synonymize four subspecies circumscribed by the western clade and recognize a new species Arizona occidentalis to re-align the taxonomy with the phylogeographic structure. Most of the diversity within A. occidentalis occurs in California, with three major lineages corresponding separate desert biomes. We revise the conservation units within A. occidentalis to mirror these lineages and address concerns regarding habitat loss in transitional environments along the western edge of its range. This work underscores the importance of aligning taxonomy, evolutionary identity, and management units to design the most effective conservation strategies.