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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Eastern
diamondback
rattlesnake, diamondback rattlesnake |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Viperidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Crotalus (rattle) adamanteus (hard
as steel, refers to diamonds) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are heavy-bodied
snakes. They are blackish brown, olive, or dusty
gray; patterned with dark brown to black diamond-shaped
blotches edged with narrow bands of white along
the dorsal (back) surface. The sides of their heads
are patterned with two white oblique stripes and
their tails may be ringed with white and black bands. |
| MALE |
text |
| FEMALE |
text |
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| SIZE: |
Adults average 1.2 m (4 ft.), reaching lengths up
to 2.4 m (8 ft.); newborn snakes measure 30-35 cm
(12-14 in) |
| MALE |
text |
| FEMALE |
text |
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| WEIGHT: |
Average weight is 2.3 kg (5 lb.); maximum weight
is 4.5 kg (10 lb.) |
| MALE |
text |
| FEMALE |
text |
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| DIET: |
Rattlesnakes are carnivorous, feeding on birds and
small mammals such as rabbits and rice rats. |
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| INCUBATION: |
4-6 months; born late summer to early fall |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
text |
| BREEDING
PERIOD |
text |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
3-6 years |
| MALE |
text |
| FEMALE |
text |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
10-20 years, depending on size of the animal |
| MALE |
text |
| FEMALE |
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| RANGE: |
Eastern diamondbacks are found in the southeastern
United States, from Florida (Keys and peninsula)
north to coastal areas of North Carolina, West Mississippi,
and Louisiana. |
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| HABITAT: |
Their habitats vary from pastures to scrubs to palmetto
hammocks to pine and oak flatwoods and even abandoned
agricultural and logging areas. They find shelter
in mammal and gopher tortoise burrows and other
similar sites. They emerge in the early morning
or afternoon to bask in the sun. They become nocturnal
in the warm summer months. |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
text |
| LOCAL |
text |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not listed |
| CITES |
Not listed |
| USFWS |
Not listed |
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| 1. |
They are classified as pit vipers because of facial
pits found below and between the eye and nostril
on both sides of the head. The pit is highly sensitive
to infrared radiation (heat) and serves as a direction
finder in locating warm-blooded prey or predators. |
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| 2. |
Rattlesnakes inject venom into their prey by biting
them with curved fangs. |
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| 3. |
The rattlesnake uses its rattle to warn other animals
of its presence. The rattle is a series of hard
segments made of keratin. A new segment is added
each time a snake sheds. When shaken, the segments
vibrate against each other, producing a familiar
buzz. |
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| 4. |
The age of a rattlesnake is not evident by the size
or number of segments in its rattle. The rattle
is often broken off after a couple of years. An
adult rattlesnake that has the original button at
the tip of its tail is rare. |
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| 5. |
When threatened, Eastern diamondbacks retreat from
the threat, maintaining a striking coil and facing
the intruder. Maneuvering their body backward to
shelter, they quickly disappear. |
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| 6. |
text |
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In their role as predators, rattlesnakes keep
small animal populations - especially rodents
- in check.
Although
Eastern diamondbacks are rapidly disappearing,
they are afforded no formal protection.
Suburban
housing and agricultural development destroys
vast areas of habitat.
These
snakes are also destroyed by annual "rattlesnake
round-ups" that occur in several states in
the U.S. Since 1958, the World's Largest Rattlesnake
Round-Up has been held in Sweetwater, Texas. As
of 1996, 231,636 pounds of Western Diamondback
Rattlesnakes have been collected. Proceeds from
this event benefit several prominent charity organizations.
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|
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Ashton,
Ray Jr. and Patricia Sawyer Ashton. Reptiles
and Amphibians of Florida: Part One, The Snakes.
Miami. Windward Pub., 1988.
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Mehrtens, John M. Living Snakes of the World.
New York. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 1987. |
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http://www.adventureware.com/rattler.htm
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