Hopi Rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis nuntius

:''Common names: Hopi rattlesnake, Arizona prairie rattlesnake, prairie rattlesnake.''
''Crotalus viridis nuntius'' is a venomous pitviper subspecies native primarily to the desert plateau of the northeastern portion of the American state of Arizona, but also ranges into northwestern New Mexico. Named for the Native American Hopi tribe, which inhabits the region, its range overlaps that of the dominate subspecies and some interbreeding is believed to occur. The taxonomy of the ''C. viridis'' group is a matter of debate, many considering the various subspecies to be nothing more than locality variations.
Hopi Rattlesnake This Hopi rattlesnake was scurrying across the trail I was hiking on in the northern Arizona desert. It slithered its way into this small sagebrush where it curled up into its typical defensive position, but did not give off its typical warning sound, the rattle of its tail. Instead, it allowed me to photograph it, reluctantly no doubt. Captured in Monument Valley Tribal Park, northern Arizona. Arizona,Crotalus viridis nuntius,Desert,Fall,Geotagged,Reptiles,Snakes,Squamata,United States

Appearance

Smaller than other subspecies of ''C. viridis'', this subspecies generally does not generally grow much beyond two feet in length. They are typically pink, to gray, to orange-brown in color, reflecting the color of the soil and rocks of their natural range for camouflage, with darker brown blotching down the back.

The scalation consists of 21-27 midbody dorsal scales, 169-184 ventral scales in females and 162-178 in males, 14-22 subcaudal scales in females and 21-28 in males. The color pattern includes 33-53 dorsal body blotches. According to Douglas ''et al.'' , it is not possible to reliably distinguish ''C. v. nuntius'' from ''C. v. viridis''.

Like other rattlesnakes, they have eyes with vertical pupils, and their tail has a rattle on it. The rattle is composed of keratin. Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new segment is added to the rattle, but the rattle is fragile and may break off, and the frequency of shedding can vary, so the snake's age cannot be determined by its length or number of segments.

Behavior

These are generally nocturnal and secretive snakes, spending their days in rock crevices or other animal's burrows to avoid the desert heat, emerging in the early day to feed on rodents, birds, lizards, and sometimes frogs.

While not typically aggressive, they will often coil up and rattle their tail if disturbed, striking only if harassed or handled. Their venom is primarily hemotoxic, causing swelling and necrosis, but many populations of ''C. viridis'' are known to have a potent neurotoxic effect as well, resulting in muscle paralysis and possibly respiratory failure. They are capable of delivering what is known as a "dry bite", in which no venom is injected at all, but a bite from any venomous snake should be considered serious, and immediate treatment sought.

Reproduction

These snakes are ovoviviparous, breeding in the spring and giving birth to small clutches of 4-6 young in the early fall. The young are colored almost identically to the adults, and are approximately 7.5 inches in length. The young are typically more nervous than the adults, and will often strike repeatedly if harassed. They reach maturity between two and three years of age.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyViperidae
GenusCrotalus
SpeciesC. viridis
Photographed in
United States of America