Your San Diego boas are Coastal rosyboas, traditionally called Lichanura trivirgata rosefusca. Various localities can produce a range of colors. There do exist localities in San Diego where the rosies get very dark. There exist localities in extreme southern SD county and especially in northern Baja where the rosies have a faint pattern only and as adults appear a solid color.



Remember that scientists are doing their best to classify animals based on what evidence they have of their relationships and history. That evidence changes as technology changes. It is what it is. Names will change. New names will be proposed, not all are accepted.



This doesn't invalidate the animals. If you have animals from a certain locale, then they are what they are. If you have animals w/o locality data but "look" like typical coastal rosies, then call them coastal rosies locality unknown, or "San Diego county somewhere coastal rosies." The best approach is to say what you know about the snakes and leave out the locality info you do not know for sure.



Yes, rosyboa localities have been mixed to produce snows. They are usually marketed as such (e.g. non-locality snow rosies). Often Whitewater albinos were mixed with Borrego anerythristic. You can choose to mix localities or choose not too. I always appreciate locality-specific rosyboas because of the uniqueness of each locality. However, I do not shun mixed localities either as long as folks are honest about what they are presenting. To me, for captivity, it is all good.



After you see enough rosies, you get a feel for the differences. Rosies from the desert side of mtns close to the desert floor tend to be lighter in color and smaller, while rosies from less arid "coastal" regions (based on rainfall and vegetation type) tend to be larger and darker.
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Mark

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