Crotalus enyo

Last updated

Crotalus enyo
Crotalus enyo.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Crotalus
Species:
C. enyo
Binomial name
Crotalus enyo
(Cope, 1861)
Crotalus enyo distribution.png
Synonyms
  • Caudisona enyo Cope, 1861
  • Crotalus enyo– Cope, 1875
  • [Crotalus oreganus] var. enyo
    – Garman, 1884
  • Crotalus tigris (part)
    – Boulenger, 1896
  • Crotalus confluentus enyo
    – Amaral, 1929
  • Crotalus enyo enyo
    – Lowe & Norris, 1954
  • Crotalus enyo
    – Beaman & Grismer, 1994 [2]

Crotalus enyo, commonly known as the Baja California rattlesnake [3] or Lower California rattlesnake, [4] is a pit viper species native to the coast and islands of northwestern Mexico. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. [5]

Contents

Description

The maximum reported length of this species is 89.8 cm (35.4 in) (Klauber, 1972). [3] It is sexually dimorphic, with the males typically being larger than the females. [6] The head is remarkably small and narrow, while the eyes are proportionately large. [3]

Geographic range

In western Mexico in the north, it is found in the Baja California Peninsula from around Río San Telmo on the west coast and from opposite Isla Angel de la Guarda on the gulf coast, south to Cabo San Lucas. It is also found in the Gulf of California on the islands of San Marcos, Carmen, San José, San Francisco, Partida del Sur, Espírita Santo and Cerralvo. Off the Pacific coast, it is also found on the island of San Margarita. The type locality is "Cape San Lucas, Baja California Sur". [2]

Habitat

It prefers desert, but in the northwestern part of its range, it can be found in chaparral country, while in the cape region (Sierra de San Lázaro), it occurs in pine-oak and tropical deciduous forest. It can be found in rocky areas with arid thorn scrub and cacti, but sometimes also in sand dunes. It is often attracted to human habitation, where it has been found in piles of refuse. [3]

Conservation status

This species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2001). [1] Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because they are unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend was stable when assessed in 2007. [7]

Feeding

Snakes of this species, regardless of their size, are known to eat small rodents, lizards, and centipedes. This is in contrast to many other rattlesnake species that prey on lizards almost exclusively as juveniles, switching to mammals as adults. With C. enyo, small snakes eat lizards more often than do large ones, and large snakes eat mammals more often than do small ones. Adults also prey on large centipedes of the genus Scolopendra . [6]

Reproduction

Captive specimens have produced litters of two to seven young. Newborn specimens with lengths of between 20.6 and 22.2 cm (8.1 and 8.7 in) have been mentioned. Grismer (2002) reported finding neonates in the wild between late July and mid October, which would indicate the species mates in the spring and gives birth in the summer or early fall. [3]

Subspecies

Subspecies [5] Taxon author [5] Common name [4] Geographic range [3]
C. e. cerralvensis Cliff, 1954Cerralvo Island rattlesnakeIsla Cerralvo in the Gulf of California
C. e. enyo(Cope, 1861)Lower California rattlesnake Baja California, Mexico, from about El Rosario southward down the peninsula
C. e. furvus Lowe & Norris, 1954Rosario rattlesnake Baja California, Mexico, from about Río San Telmo south to around El Rosario

Taxonomy

All three of the current subspecies were recognized by Beaman and Grismer (1994) in their review, but they indicated C. e. furvus should not be considered a separate subspecies, and C. e. cerralvensis would best be considered a full species. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Crotalus cerastes</i> Species of snake

Crotalus cerastes, known as the sidewinder, horned rattlesnake or sidewinder rattlesnake, is a pit viper species belonging to the genus Crotalus, and is found in the desert regions of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous. Three subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Crotalus stephensi</i> Species of snake

Crotalus stephensi is a venomous pitviper species found in central and southern Nevada and adjacent California. Common names include panamint rattlesnake, panamint rattler, Owens Valley rattler, and tiger rattlesnake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-tailed rattlesnake</span> Species of snake

The black-tailed rattlesnake is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Four subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Crotalus basiliscus</i> Species of reptile

Crotalus basiliscus, known as the Mexican west coast rattlesnake, Mexican green rattler, and also by other names, is a species of pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to western Mexico. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous. The specific name, basiliscus, is derived from the Greek word for king, βασιλισκος, and alludes to this snake's large size and potent venom. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Crotalus willardi</i> Species of snake

Crotalus willardi is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. This snake is found mainly in the "sky island" region. The IUCN reports this snake's conservation status as being of Least Concern. It is the official state reptile of Arizona.

<i>Crotalus ruber</i> Species of snake

Crotalus ruber is a venomous pit viper species found in southwestern California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western diamondback rattlesnake</span> Species of snake

The western diamondback rattlesnake or Texas diamond-back 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. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Crotalus mitchellii</i> Species of snake

Crotalus mitchellii is a venomous pit viper species in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic 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. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Crotalus catalinensis</i> Species of venomous pit viper native to Isla Santa Catalina, Mexico

The Santa Catalina rattlesnake is a species of pit viper endemic to Isla Santa Catalina in the Gulf of California just off the east coast of the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized. A relatively small and slender species, its most distinctive characteristic is that it lacks a rattle. They are also a generally nocturnal species. Though the species is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, there are few efforts for the snake's conservation.

<i>Crotalus lepidus klauberi</i> Subspecies of snake

Crotalus lepidus klauberi is a venomous pitviper subspecies endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico.

<i>Crotalus simus</i> Species of snake

Crotalus simus is a venomous pit viper species found in Mexico and Central America. The specific epithet is Latin for "flat-nosed", likely because its head is blunt compared with lanceheads (Bothrops). Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Crotalus oreganus</i> North American rattlesnake

Crotalus oreganus, commonly known as the Western rattlesnake or northern Pacific rattlesnake, is a venomous pit viper species found in western North America from the Baja California Peninsula to the southern interior of British Columbia.

<i>Crotalus atrox tortugensis</i> Subspecies of snake

Crotalus atrox tortugensis is a venomous pit viper subspecies found only on Tortuga Island in the Gulf of California.

<i>Crotalus intermedius</i> Species of snake

Crotalus intermedius is a pit viper species found in central and southern Mexico. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Crotalus pricei</i> Species of snake

Crotalus pricei is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Two subspecies are recognized.

<i>Crotalus angelensis</i> Species of snake

Crotalus angelensis, or the Ángel de la Guarda Island speckled rattlesnake, is a pitviper species endemic to Isla Ángel de la Guarda in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Like all other pitvipers, it is venomous. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Crotalus mitchellii.

<i>Crotalus oreganus caliginis</i> Subspecies of snake

Crotalus oreganus caliginis is a venomous pit viper subspecies endemic to South Coronado Island, Mexico.

Crotalus lorenzoensis is a species of pit viper.

Crotalus mitchellii muertensis is a venomous pitviper subspecies endemic to El Muerto Island, Mexico. It is sometimes treated as a full species, Crotalus muertensis.

Crotalus ruber lucasensis, the San Lucan diamond rattlesnake, is a venomous pitviper subspecies found in Mexico in the Cape region of lower Baja California.

References

  1. 1 2 Hollingsworth, B.; Frost, D.R. (2007). "Crotalus enyo". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2007: e.T64316A12765256. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T64316A12765256.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN   0-8014-4141-2.
  4. 1 2 Klauber LM. 1997. Rattlesnakes: Their Habitats, Life Histories, and Influence on Mankind. Second Edition. First published in 1956, 1972. University of California Press, Berkeley. ISBN   0-520-21056-5.
  5. 1 2 3 "Crotalus enyo". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 9 February 2007.
  6. 1 2 Taylor, Emily N. & Price, A. H. (2001). "Diet of the Baja California Rattlesnake, Crotalus enyo (Viperidae)". Copeia. 2001 (2): 553–555. doi:10.1643/0045-8511(2001)001[0553:DOTBCR]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   86214195.
  7. ↑ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List . Accessed 13 September 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.