Crotalus helleri
| Southern Pacific rattlesnake | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Crotalus |
| Species: | C. helleri
|
| Binomial name | |
| Crotalus helleri Meek, 1905
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Crotalus helleri or Crotalus oreganus helleri, also known commonly as the Southern Pacific rattlesnake,[3] the black diamond rattlesnake,[4] and by several other common names, is a pit viper species[5] or subspecies[3] found in southwestern California and south into Baja California, Mexico, that is known for its regional variety of dangerous venom types. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of Crotalus oreganus.[3]
Etymology
The
Description
Adults of C. helleri are 24–55 inches (61–139 cm) in total length (including tail).[4]
The color pattern consists of a pale brown, gray-brown, or yellowish brown ground color overlaid with a series of large, dark brown dorsal blotches that may or may not have pale centers.[8] The blotches are more diamond shaped, as opposed to those of C. o. oreganus that are more hexagonal,[4] and are bordered by light scales. The tail rings are not clearly defined.[9] In juveniles, the end of the tail is bright orange, but this turns to brown as the snakes mature. In adults, the base of the tail and the first segment of the rattle are brown. The postocular stripe is moderately to very clearly defined. In juveniles, this stripe is bordered above by a pale stripe, but as the snakes mature this turns to drab yellow or brown. A conspicuous pale crossbar is sometimes present across the supraoculars, after which the head is a uniform dark color. In some older snakes the head is mostly dark with almost no trace of the supraorbital crossbar, or none at all.[8]
Common names
Common names for C. helleri include
Venom varieties
Some populations of C. helleri have a
Geographic range
C. helleri is found in the United States in southern
References
- ^ ISBN 1-893777-01-4(volume).
- ^ "Crotalus oreganus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ a b c d "Crotalus oreganus helleri ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
- ^ ISBN 0-8014-0463-0. (Crotalus viridis helleri, pp. 1014–1018, Figure 290 + Map 67 on p. 951).
- ^ Crotalus helleri at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed May 7, 2023.
- ^ Beltz, Ellin (2006). Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained. ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx/html.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Crotalus viridis helleri, p. 120).
- ^ ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
- ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Crotalus viridis helleri, pp. 694–695 + Plate 627).
- ^ from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
- ^ "Rattlesnakes". Archived from the original on 2012-04-08. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
- ^ a b "Rattlesnakes Two Hours Apart Pack Totally Different Venoms". National Geographic Society. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ "CroFab". savagelabs.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
- from the original on 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
- ISBN 0-520-21056-5.
Further reading
- Ashton, Kyle G.; de Queiroz, Alan (2001). "Molecular systematics of the western rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis (Viperidae), with comments on the utility of the d-loop in phylogenetic studies of snakes". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 21 (2): 176–189. PDF at CNAH. Accessed 12 December 2007.
- ISBN 978-0-9754641-3-7. (Crotalus oreganus helleri, pp. 25–27).
- Meek SE (1905). "An Annotated list of a Collection of Reptiles from Southern California and Northern Lower California". Field Columbian Museum Publication 104. Fieldiana Zoology 7 (1): 1–19. ("Crotalus helleri sp. nov.", pp. 17–18 & Plate II).
External links
- Crotalus helleri at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed December 12, 2019.