Agkistrodon piscivorus

Agkistrodon piscivorus Temporal range: Pleistocene - present[1][2]
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[3]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Agkistrodon
Species:	A. piscivorus
Binomial name
Agkistrodon piscivorus (Lacépède, 1789)
Synonyms[4]
click to expand •Vipera aquatica (not a binomial) Catesby, 1743 •Crot[alus]. Piscivorus Lacépède, 1789 •C[rotalus]. Aquaticus Bonnaterre, 1790 •Scytale piscivora — Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 •Coluber Aquaticus — Shaw, 1802 •Ancistrodon piscivorus — Cope, 1860 •A[ncistrodon]. pugnax Cope, 1860 •T[rigonocephalus]. piscivorus var. pugnax — Jan, 1863 •Vipera Cench[ris]. Piscivorus — Higgins, 1873 •Ancistrodon piscivorus Lacépède, ssp. piscivorus — Cope, 1875 •Ancistrodon piscivorus Lacépède, ssp. pugnax — Cope, 1875 •Ancistrodon piscivorus piscivorus — Yarrow, 1882 •Ancistrodon piscivorus pugnax — Yarrow, 1882 •[Ancistrodon piscivorus] Var. pugnax — Garman, 1884 •Agkistrodon piscivorus — Garman, 1890 •Ancistrodon piscivorus — Boulenger, 1896 •Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus — Gloyd & Conant, 1943 •Ancistrodon piscivorus piscivorus — Schmidt, 1953 •Agkistrodon piscivorus laurae Stewart, 1974 •Agkistrodon piscivorus — Gloyd & Conant, 1990disk,e,d

Agkistrodon piscivorus is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth), and is native to the Southeastern United States.^[5] As an adult, it is large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite. When threatened, it may respond by coiling its body and displaying its fangs.^[6] Individuals may bite when feeling threatened or being handled in any way.^[7] It tends to be found in or near water, particularly in slow-moving and shallow lakes, streams, and marshes. It is a capable swimmer, and like several species of snakes, is known to occasionally enter bays and estuaries and swim between barrier islands and the mainland.^{[8]: 211 p.}

The generic name is derived from the Greek words ἄγκιστρον agkistron "fish-hook, hook"^[9] and ὀδών odon "tooth",^[10] and the specific name comes from the Latin piscis 'fish'^[11] and voro '(I) eat greedily, devour';^[12] thus, the scientific name translates to "hook-toothed fish-eater".^[13] Common names include cottonmouth, northern cottonmouth, water moccasin, swamp moccasin, black moccasin, and simply viper.^[14] Many of the common names refer to the threat display, in which this species often stands its ground and gapes at an intruder, exposing the white lining of its mouth. Many scientists dislike the use of the term water moccasin since it can lead to confusion between the venomous cottonmouth and nonvenomous water snakes.^[15]