Western diamondback rattlesnake

Western diamondback rattlesnake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Clade: Caenophidia
Clade: Colubroides
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Crotalus
Species:
C. atrox
Binomial name
Crotalus atrox
Baird & Girard, 1853
Synonyms
  • Crotalus cinereous Le Conte in Hallowell, 1852 [nomen oblitum]
  • Crotalus atrox Baird & Girard, 1853 [nomen protectum]
  • Crotalus adamanteus var. atrox Jan, 1859
  • Caudisona atrox var. atrox Kennicott, 1861
  • Caudisona atrox var. sonoraensis Kennicott, 1861
  • C[rotalus]. adamanteus var. atrox Jan, 1863
  • C[rotalus]. atrox var. sonoriensis Jan, 1863
  • C[audisona]. atrox Cope, 1867
  • Crotalus adamanteus atrox Cope in Yarrow in Wheeler, 1875
  • Caudisona atrox var. sonorensis Boulenger, 1896
  • Crotalus atrox atrox Cope, 1900
  • [Crotalus] atrox sonoraensis Amaral, 1929
  • Crotalus atrox Klauber, 1972
  • Crotalus sonoriensis Golay et al., 1993
  • Crotalus atrox Golay et al., 1993[2]

The western diamondback rattlesnake[3] or Texas diamond-back[4] (Crotalus atrox) is a rattlesnake species and member of the viper family, found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like all other rattlesnakes and all other vipers, it is venomous. It is likely responsible for the majority of snakebite fatalities in northern Mexico and the greatest number of snakebites in the U.S.[5] No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]

It lives in elevations from below sea level up to 6,500 feet (2,000 m). This species ranges throughout the Southwestern United States and northern half of Mexico. Currently, western diamondback rattlesnakes are not threatened or endangered.

  1. ^ Frost, D.R.; Hammerson, G.A.; Santos-Barrera, G. (2007). "Crotalus atrox". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T64311A12763519. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64311A12763519.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. ISBN 1-893777-01-4.[page needed]
  3. ^ a b "Crotalus atrox". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
  4. ^ Wright AH, Wright AA. (1957). Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates. (7th printing, 1985). ISBN 0-8014-0463-0.[page needed]
  5. ^ Norris R. (2004) "Venom Poisoning in North American Reptiles" in Campbell JA, Lamar WW. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.