Crotalus triseriatus
| Crotalus triseriatus | |
|---|---|
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| Crotalus triseriatus in Morelia Zoo | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Crotalus |
| Species: | C. triseriatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Crotalus triseriatus (Wagler, 1830)
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| File:Crotalus triseriatus distribution.png | |
| Synonyms | |
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Crotalus triseriatus is a venomous pit viper species found in Mexico. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.[5]
Description
[edit | edit source]Adult male specimens of C. triseriatus commonly grow to a total length (including tail) greater than 60 cm (24 in), with females somewhat smaller. The maximum recorded total length is 68.3 cm (26.9 in).[3]
Geographic range
[edit | edit source]The species C. triseriatus is found in Mexico, along the southern edge of the Mexican Plateau in the highlands of the Transverse Volcanic Cordillera, including the states of Jalisco, México, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz. The type locality given by Wagler in 1830 is "Mexico". A restriction to "Alvarez, San Luis Potosí, Mexico" was proposed by H.M. Smith and Taylor (1950).[2]
Habitat
[edit | edit source]Crotalus triseriatus occurs in pine-oak forest, boreal forest, coniferous forest and, bunchgrass grasslands. On Volcán Orizaba, it is found at very high altitudes. There, the snow line comes down to about 4,572 m (15,000 ft), while green plants can be found up to 4,573 m (15,000 ft): the species has been found within this zone. However, it is most common at 2,700 to 3,350 metres (8,860 to 10,990 ft) in elevation.[3]
Conservation status
[edit | edit source]The species C. triseriatus is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1] Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because they are unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend was stable when assessed in 2007.[1]
Feeding
[edit | edit source]Prey reportedly found in stomachs of C. triseriatus include a frog, a murid rodent (Neotomodon alstoni), lizards, other small mammals, crickets, and salamanders.[3]
Venom
[edit | edit source]Bite symptoms from C. triseriatus are reported to include intense pain, swelling, faintness, and cold perspiration.[3]
Subspecies
[edit | edit source]| Subspecies[5] | Taxon author[5] | Common name[4] | Geographic range[2][3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| C. t. armstrongi | Campbell, 1979 | western dusky rattlesnake | Mexico: Jalisco and Nayarit |
| C. t. triseriatus | (Wagler, 1830) | dusky rattlesnake | Mexico: Michoacán, Morelos, México, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Veracruz |
Etymology
[edit | edit source]The subspecific name, armstrongi, is in honor of American herpetologist Barry L. Armstrong.[6]
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]In the relatively recent past, two additional subspecies were described:[3]
- C. t. anahuacus Gloyd, 1940 - currently regarded as a junior synonym of C. t. triseriatus
- C. t. quadrangularis Harris & Simmons, 1978 - currently regarded as a junior synonym of C. aquilus
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (series). Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (volume).
- ^ a b c d e f g Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp. 1500 plates. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ a b Mehrtens JM (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).. (Crotalus triseriatus armstrongi, p. 11).
Further reading
[edit | edit source]- Campbell JA (1979). "A New Rattlesnake (Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae) from Jalisco, Mexico". Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 81 (4): 365–370. (Crotalus triseriatus armstrongi, new subspecies).
- Wagler J (1830). Natürliches System der AMPHIBIEN, mit vorangehender Classification der SÄUGTHIERE und VÖGEL. Ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie. München, Stuttgart and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta. vi + 354 pp. + one plate. (Uropsophus triseriatus, new species, p. 176). (in German and Latin).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Crotalus triseriatus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 12 December 2007.
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