Crotalus triseriatus | |
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Conservation status | |
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) |
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Synonyms | |
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Crotalus triseriatus is a venomous pitviper species found in Mexico. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.[4]
Contents |
Adult male specimens commonly grow to lengths greater than 60 cm, with females somewhat smaller. The maximum recorded length is 68.3 cm.[2]
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 Smith and Taylor (1950).[1]
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, while green plants can be found up to 4,573 m: the species has been found within this zone. However, they are most common at 2,700-3,350 m elevation.[2]
This species is classified as Least Concern (LC) 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 it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend is stable. Year assessed: 2007.[6]
Food items reportedly found in the stomachs of this species include a frog, a murid rodent (Neotomodon alstoni), lizards, other small mammals, crickets, and salamanders.[2]
Bite symptoms from this species are reported to include intense pain, swelling, faintness and cold perspiration.[2]
Subspecies[4] | Taxon author[4] | Common name[3] | Geographic range[1][2] |
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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. |
In the relatively recent past, two additional subspecies were described:[2]