Speckled Rattlesnake

About the Speckled Rattlesnake

Common names: speckled rattlesnake, Mitchell's rattlesnake, white rattlesnake Crotalus mitchellii is a venomous pit viper species in the family Viperidae. The species is native to the Southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. The species was named in honor of Silas Weir Mitchell (1829–1914), an American medical doctor who also studied rattlesnake venoms. Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Generally, Crotalus mitchellii does not exceed 100 cm (39 in) in total length (tail included), with large males measuring between 90 and 100 cm (35 and 39 in). The race on Isla Ángel de la Guarda is known to become larger, the maximum recorded length for a specimen there being 136.7 cm (53.8 in). In contrast, the population on El Muerto Island only reaches a maximum of 63.7 cm (25.1 in) in length. On the back are about thirty sometimes vague markings often in the form of crossbars. The speckled rattlesnake is sometimes erroneously called the tiger rattlesnake because of these markings. Other times the markings are clearly defined geometric shapes – diamonds, hexagons, hourglasses – which vary in color from... Wikipedia →