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So, after checking out the californiaherps.com site, it appears that there has been unconfirmed sightings of L.z.zonata in Marin County (north of San Francisco...20 minutes across the Golden Gate bridge). Anyone have anymore information about the accuracy of this notion? I've herped the area before a few times and find some awesome stuff-getula, contia, pitophis, etc.... .

who knows?

I've read the same thing. Unconfirmed reports on Mt Tam and in the Novato hills. I live not too far from there but I've never herped the area. It would be really cool if somebody found a specimen there.

i plan to herp this area early may, hopefully get some pics of some awesome Charina and L.getula. I would LOVE to find a zonata there! wanna join?

I've been doing a bit of field herping already so far. Haven't found an L.ZZ yet though, still hoping. Went out yesterday east of clear lake and found some cool stuff. But yeah I game if you want to go herping in Marin sometime. I live in Santa Rosa, which is not too far.

Santa Rosa and the whole Petaluma area is awesome for herps haha! But yea, I'm planning on heading to Blithedale Summit on the foothills of Mt.Tam. Apparently lots of herp fuana like Charina and Cal-Kings, AND apparently zoanat.
Heres a link with the herp species list of that open space:
http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/PK/Main/mcosd/os_park_04.asp

Never been there myself. Those are the two snakes in my area I have never found. Rubber Boas and L.ZZ. I'd love to scratch them off the list some day. Geluta are always a nice find, especially the big ones. Well if you ever need an extra set of eyes, I'll be around. I'm 22 and have a lot of gusto when it comes to finding snakes (climbing mountains, crawling under chaparral, lifting heavy stuff, ect...lol). Sadly I don't know many people my age who truly love reptiles.

well, now you do, i'm 22 as well haha! but yea, apparently we gotta head out soon before the hillsides get too dry for charina or Z's. from past experience, the rubber boas like it kinda damp out...but i have found some in chaparral areas under AC

Well I'll be damned! Let me know when you want to look for some kritters.

my last day of class for spring semester is may 14, with some of my finals during the week after....but those days are spotty. So I'm guessing, middle May would be best on my part. But yea, just let me know when you have some free time. I'm stoked...lets get the first official sightings of a Marin County Z!

Someone told me that he witnessed a zonata devour a gopher snake in the hills above Petaluma.

yea, i've heard of Zonatas there as well....im guessing that it would be the zonata zonata ssp? like the ones found in napa county.

what is up with these "unconfirmed" sightings haha!? I think that applies to the Diablo Mt. zonatas as well...

but anyhow, hoping to find one near or on Mt. Tamalpais. How awesome would it be to have Z's right near San Francisco? The SF Bay Area has some pretty cool herps like the giant salamander, rubber boa, and contia, so why not a Z?

hiked the area...
the terrain is a bit iffy...there are great habitats available, plenty of chaparral areas with manzanita, redwood forest areas with boulders and creeks, etc...
no snakes of great interest today, a few red sided garters, racer, etc...

>>So, after checking out the californiaherps.com site, it appears that there has been unconfirmed sightings of L.z.zonata in Marin County (north of San Francisco...20 minutes across the Golden Gate bridge). Anyone have anymore information about the accuracy of this notion? I've herped the area before a few times and find some awesome stuff-getula, contia, pitophis, etc.... .
>>
>>who knows?

Of course we all know that only actual specimens can be proof that zonata occurs in Marin County. There is however valid arguments against their presence here and in the Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County (also unconfirmed report there). The argument is based on mtDNA phylogeography. From the mtDNA data, the snakes of the North Bay came orginally from Oregon, but the zonata from San Mateo County came from Santa Cruz/Santa Clara County. Therefore they are opposite ends of a horse shoe shaped distribution for this species and the gap is perhaps as real as a real horse shoe. There is no proof of San Mateo snakes having crossed over to the North Bay and absolutely no proof of North Bay zonata migrating south of the Golden Gate.

Zweifel considered the Mt. Hamiltion specimen as a multifasciata x zonata intergrade based on color pattern, but mtDNA evidence suggests that its closest relative is from the Sierra Nevada foothills. That means the Mt. Hamiltion and adjacent Alamdea County populations are recent migrants, a cross Valley leak. The Mt. Hamilton/Alameda County population is instead L. z. multicincta, not an intergrade animal. It has apparently converged upon multifasciata and zonata on color pattern because of a similar habitat. Since it is a recent migrant, it may not have time to cross the divide between Mt. Hamilton and Mt. Diablo.

Of course, I can be proven wrong if actual specimens are collected from Marin and Contra Costa Counties. Until they are, it is very unlikely they exist in either area on the basis of mtDNA phylogeography.