The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the most dangerous and largest venomous snake in North America. They have no subspecies currently. They are heavy-bodied pit vipers, known for being deadly and aggressive.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Suborder: Serpentes
- Family: Viperidae
- Subfamily: Crotalinae
- Genus: Crotalus
- Scientific Name: Crotalus adamanteus
Physical Description
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes can be blackish-gray, olive green, or muddy gray in color. This is a very large snake with a row of large dark diamonds, brown in the center and cream on the back. The body has a brown base color. The light reflected off the snake's keel scales made its skin appear dull instead of shiny. The tail is usually shaded differently from the body, from brown to gray, with black rings. The head is large and thick, unlike the neck, and each eye has a dark stripe with a light edge. The pupils are vertically oval (like a cat) and there is a deep furrow between the nostril and the eye. There are no large scales on the top of the head, except for those above the eyes. The color of the adolescent is the same as that described for the adult, but it may be brighter in contrast.
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the longest and heaviest venomous snake in North America. Their average body length ranges from 0.8 to 1.8 m (3 to 6 ft), but some adults can reach 2.4 m (8 ft). A rattlesnake is a large snake with a large head and an average weight of 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds).
Habitat
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are endemic to the southeastern United States. They are found in the pine forests of Florida, along the coastal plains of North Carolina, and in the pine forests of southern Mississippi through eastern Louisiana.
These heavy-bodied pit vipers typically live in dry pine forests, sandy land, and coastal shrub habitats. They can also be found in slightly humid areas, such as wet savannas or savannas and on the edges of wetlands. Eastern rattlesnakes can also be found on abandoned farms or in overgrown fields near pine forests.
Although they don't like wet places, these pit vipers are expert swimmers and occasionally swim in the salt water between the barrier reefs and at the edge of the marshes.
Diet & Feeding
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes feed mainly on mammals and occasionally on birds. Adults feed mainly on rabbits, cotton mice, mice, squirrels, and birds, while pups prefer mice and rats. Rattlesnakes are ambush predators that lie in wait for prey near logs or fallen tree roots. These snakes may track their prey by their scent, but more typically, the pit vipers sit and wait to ambush prey, locating their prey by smelling and sensing infrared or heat from warm-blooded animals.
This rattlesnake can strike up to two thirds of its body length. For example, a snake six feet long can strike at a distance of four feet. Each bite releases a large amount of venom, which makes it a very deadly snake. After striking, the rattlesnake releases its prey, which crawls away to die. A snake chases its prey and eats it once it's dead.
Adult eastern diamondback rattlesnakes have no natural predators, but young rattlesnakes have many predators, including pigs, gray foxes, red-tailed hawks and king snakes, as well as other carnivorous mammals, raptors and snakes.
Defensing Behavior
Most eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are first found quietly coiled. However, if provoked or cornered, they coiled their bodies and frantically waved their signature tail, making a loud buzzing sound as a final warning to back off.
These pit vipers can attack up to two-thirds of their body length. As a result, a 6 foot (183 cm) individual might reach 4 feet (122 cm). However, these snakes are not aggressive, and attacks are only used as a last resort.
Venom
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are known for their rattlesnake sound and painful venomous snake bites, which can be fatal to humans. The toxins in their venom, called haematoxins, kill red blood cells and cause tissue damage. However, antivenoms are widely available throughout the snake's range, and death from rattlesnake bites is rare.
Comments
Post a Comment