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| Scientific name: |
Common Name: |
| Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix |
Southern Copperhead |
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Physical Characteristics |
Length, 24-36 in. (61-90 cm). The ground color of the Southern Copperhead is usually light pink and paler than the darker rust colored Northern Copperhead. The dorsal pattern consists of a series of darker hourglass markings. The markings are wide on the lateral aspect and quite narrow towards the center and are frequently broken or fail to meet at the mid-dorsal line. |
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Geographic Range (USA) |
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| Eastern area of the Carolinas, southern Georgia and Alabama westward across Mississippi to eastern Texas and north to southern Missouri and Illinois. |
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| Habitat |
| Found in lowlands and swampy areas and hillsides |
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| Diet |
| Small mammals, birds, and frogs |
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| Venom |
| Hemorrhagins are the predominant toxins, resulting in tissue damage and edema. |
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| Remarks |
| When approached Copperheads will usually attempt to retreat but when provoked will strike and vibrate their tails rapidly. |
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