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Rosy Boa Taxonomy

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Flatfish1

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What is the latest accepted taxonomy of Rosy Boas? I only ask this because I have a new Rosy that I caught in Ramona, CA, and I like to label them on the enclosure with a photo and the common name and scientific name. I labeled her a Coastal Rosy Boa, Lichanura Trivirgata Roseofusca. But now I'm finding out that may be older classification - that all rosies should now be classified only as Lichanura Orcutti. So what do the experts think? Lichanura trivirgata, with two subspecies (Some even say four subspecies), or Lichanura Orcutti to cover them all?
 
To the best of my understanding, it is neither. Lichanura orcutti covers the coastal and desert rosy boas, but subspecies are no longer recognized. Mexican and Baja rosies are still trivirgata. Your animal would be Lichanura orcutti, no subspecies.
 
Correct, Elena. Wayne, bear in mind that many hobbyists are very resistant to accepting this new nomenclature; I see their point, since much useful information is lost (though much more is gained, of course) with the change. (A very similar situation recently occurred in the Lampropeltis triangulum complex).

I believe this is the paper that establishes this taxonomy:

Wood, et al. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 46 (2008) 484–502

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...x0b2RyZWVkZXJzbGFifGd4OjNhN2ZlMDMwNWMyZDZiNmE
 
Nice to have a scientific paper for a little light reading on a Friday afternoon! Thanks. So my girl is Orcutti. Now I can correct my label and feel like I know what I'm talking about! Apart from locality descriptions, do you think it might still be helpful to use words like "Coastal" and "Desert" as part of the common names for Lichanura Orcutti?
 
Flatfish1 said:
Apart from locality descriptions, do you think it might still be helpful to use words like "Coastal" and "Desert" as part of the common names for Lichanura Orcutti?
Click to expand...

I think so.

Nitpicking: Lichanura orcutti (no caps on the specific epithet). Gonna make a label, make it perfect. :)
 
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