| Crotalus mitchellii stephensi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Subfamily: | Crotalinae |
| Genus: | Crotalus |
| Species: | C. mitchellii |
| Subspecies: | C. m. stephensi |
| Trinomial name | |
| Crotalus mitchellii stephensi Klauber, 1930 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Crotalus mitchellii stephensi is a venomous pitviper subspecies[3] found in southern Nevada and adjacent California.[4]
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Adults are 58-132 cm in length, with an average of 60-91 cm.[5]
According to Klauber (1936), this subspecies is characterized by the absence of the vertical light line on the posterior edge of the prenasals and first supralabials. The supraocular scales are pitted, sutured or with the outer edges broken.[2]
The color pattern consists of a straw, tan, buff, brown or gray ground color, overlaid with a series of buff, gray, brown or deep red-brown blotches. Often, there are gray suffusions on the sides of the body and head, and a scattering of black-tipped scales on the back, especially at the edges of the blotches.[2]
Panamint rattlesnake, panamint rattler, Owens Valley rattler, tiger rattlesnake.[2]
Occurs in desert-mountain areas of eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada from Mono County, California, east to Nye County, Nevada, south through southwestern Nevada, southeast to Clark County, Nevada, and southwest to central San Bernardino County, California. Found at 900-2400 m altitude.[2]
The diet consists of small mammals, lizards, and birds.[5]
These snakes are viviparous and the young are born in July and August. Neonates are about 25 cm in length.[5]