Rattlesnakes
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The family name refers to the sensory pit in the face, below the nostril, and pit vipers are found in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Crotalus and sistrurus species, found only in the Americas, are the only pit vipers with tail rattles.
The crotalus species, the most common, with close to forty different species, differ from the sistrurus species by the presence of small scales on the top of the head. The bottom picture highlights both the sensory pit and the small scales on the triagular head.
Crotalus rattlesnakes live in most areas of the United States, and because of the venomous bites, their presence in any specific area is normally well documented. The desert Southwest is home to over a dozen different species.
Diversity among the species means that apart from the triangular head and rattle, their body patterns can differ substantially. The top picture, for example, shows a Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis), with a large triangular head and large, dark, circular spots on a lighter brown body.
Diamondback species, on the other hand, have dark, diamond shaped patterns along the length of the body.
All Crotalus have poisonous bites, however the degree of danger posed by a bite differs from species to species.
Safety in rattlesnake country usually consists of staying aware of areas favored by snakes, such as around rocks and under logs or brush.
© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels