|
|
| Scientific name: |
Common Name: |
| Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus |
Western Massasauga |
| . |
 |
Physical Characteristics |
Length, 18-26 in. (46-66 cm). The ground color is usually grey or grayish brown. The dorsal pattern consists of a series of rounded dark brown, grey, or black blotches down the middle of the back. The head has a series of 9 large scales or plates on the top and there is a dark broad lateral stripe along each side. |
| |
Geographic Range (USA) |
|
| Southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri across Nebraska and western Oklahoma and southward across central Texas. There is an isolated disjunct population in southeastern Colorado. |
| |
| Habitat |
| Inhabits semiarid grasslands and prairie. |
| |
| Diet |
| Small mammals, amphibians, lizards, and other snakes. |
| |
| Venom |
| Hemorrhagic toxins, resulting in tissue damage and edema. |
| |
| Remarks |
| The Western Massasauga is a relatively small and inoffensive snake. However, they will coil, rattle, and strike quickly when confronted. |
| |
|
