Crotalus unicolor

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Crotalus unicolor
Aruba island rattlesnake, Crotalus unicolor
Conservation status
Critically endangered (IUCN) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Viperidae Subfamily: Crotalinae Genus: Crotalus Species: C. unicolor
Binomial name
Crotalus unicolor Van Lidth De Jeude, 1887

The Aruba island rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor) is a venomous rattlesnake species that is currently considered invalid. Instead, this name is listed as a junior synonym for C. durissus.^[2] It is found only on the island of Aruba off the coast of Venezuela.

Contents 1 Description 2 Feeding 3 Reproduction 4 Conservation 5 Taxonomy 6 See also 7 Cited references 8 External links

[edit] Description

Moderately sized, this species attains an adult length of approximately 90 cm. It is light brown, tan, or almost pink in color, reflecting the soil color of its native habitat, with darker brown diamond shaped markings but colors may vary from white to apricot, or brown to slate. The markings are sometimes nearly invisible, or only visible in a narrow stripe down the middle of the back. They are ovoviviparous.

[edit] Feeding

They eat rodents,birds and lizards.The venom begins to digest prey immediately.

[edit] Reproduction

• Sexual maturity:Male=4 years,Female=5years
• Gestation=4 months
• Young ones=5-15 at atime

[edit] Conservation

C. unicolor is found only on the island of Aruba, and then mostly limited to the rocky, dry southern tip of the island. Due to their extremely limited geographic range, about 230 animals left in the wild, and the ever encroaching human habitation into their territory (there is only about 25 square kilometers left undeveloped), the Aruba Island rattlesnake is among the rarest rattlesnakes in the world and listed as critically endangered. Unfortunately, while exporting from the island is illegal, it has no other legal protection on the island either. The snake is now a part of the Species Survival Plan for captive breeding.

[edit] Taxonomy

This species that is currently considered invalid by ITIS, where it is listed as a junior synonym for C. durissus.^[2] Some authors regard it as a subspecies of C. durissus.^[3]

[edit] See also

• Crotalus durissus.
• List of rattlesnake species and subspecies.
• Snakebite.

[edit] Cited references

1. ^ Odum (1996). Crotalus unicolor. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR C2b v2.3).
2. ^ ^{a b} Crotalus unicolor (TSN 202179). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 27 September 2006.
3. ^ List of Rattlesnakes by Scientific Names at Jadin Expeditions. Accessed 27 September 2006.

[edit] External links

• Species Crotalus unicolor at the Species2000 Database