Crotalus triseriatus

Crotalus triseriatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Crotalus
Species: C. triseriatus
Binomial name
Crotalus triseriatus
(Wagler, 1830)
Synonyms
  • Uropsophus triseriatus
    Wagler, 1830
  • Crot[alus]. triseriatus – Gray, 1831
  • Crotalus lugubris (part)
    – Jan, 1859
  • Caudisona lugubris – Cope, 1860
  • C[audisona]. triseriata
    – Cope, 1867
  • Crotalus pallidus Günther, 1895
  • Crotalus triseriatus
    – Boulenger, 1896
  • Crotalus triseriatus triseriatus
    – Klauber In Githens & George, 1931
  • Crotalus triseriatus anahuacus
    – Gloyd, 1940[1]
Common names: Mexican dusky rattlesnake,[2] dusky rattlesnake[3]

Crotalus triseriatus is a venomous pit viper species found in Mexico. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.[4]

Description

Adult male specimens commonly grow to lengths greater than 60 cm (24 in), with females somewhat smaller. The maximum recorded length is 68.3 cm (26.9 in).[2]

Geographic range

The species is found in Mexico, along the southern edge of the Mexican Plateau in the highlands of the Transverse Volcanic Cordillera, including the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, México, Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz. The type locality given is "Mexico". A restriction to "Alvarez, San Luis Potosí, Mexico" was proposed by H.M. Smith and Taylor (1950).[1]

Habitat

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 (15,003 ft): the species has been found within this zone. However, they are most common at 2,700 to 3,350 metres (8,860 to 10,990 ft) in elevation.[2]

Conservation status

This species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001).[5] 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.[6]

Feeding

Prey reportedly found in the stomachs of this snake include a frog, a murid rodent (Neotomodon alstoni), lizards, other small mammals, crickets, and salamanders.[2]

Venom

Bite symptoms from this species are reported to include intense pain, swelling, faintness, and cold perspiration.[2]

Subspecies

Subspecies[4] Taxon author[4] Common name[3] Geographic range[1][2]
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

Taxonomy

In the relatively recent past, two additional subspecies were described:[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
  3. 1 2 Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
  4. 1 2 3 "Crotalus triseriatus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
  5. ↑ Crotalus triseriatus at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 13 September 2007.
  6. ↑ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 13 September 2007.

Further reading

External links

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