Crotalus molossus oaxacus

Crotalus molossus oaxacus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Crotalus
Species:	C. molossus
Subspecies:	C. m. oaxacus
Trinomial name
Crotalus molossus oaxacus Gloyd, 1948

Crotalus molossus oaxacus, or the Oaxacan black-tailed rattlesnake, is a subspecies of black-tailed rattlesnake which is native to its namesake, Oaxaca, Mexico. ^[1] As with all rattlesnakes, it is venomous. ^[2] While it is currently recognised as a subspecies, it has been suggested to be further researched and reviewed as a species by Muñoz-Mora et al. due to its being the basal and most divergent clade of the species, splitting around 7.5 million years ago in the Miocene. ^[3]

Prey/diet

Crotalus molossus oaxacus is known to eat a variety of rodents, such as the Northern Pygmy Mouse and the Mexican spiny pocket mouse. ^[1]

Reproduction

Crotalus molossus oaxacus is known to be ovoviviparous. ^[2]

References

1. Carbajal-Márquez, R.A.; Sigala-Rodríguez, J.J.; Reyes-Velasco, J.; Jones, J.M.; Montaño-Ruvalcaba, C.; Fernandez-Badillo, L.; Borja-Jiménez, J.M. (2023). "New dietary records for three species in the Crotalus molossus species complex (Serpentes: Viperidae)". Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology. 22 (1): 81–86. doi: 10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v22i1p81-86 .
2. "Crotalus molossus". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
3. Muñoz-Mora, V.H.; Suárez-Atilano, M.; Maltagliati, F.; Ramírez-Corona, F.; Carbajal-Saucedo, A.; Percino-Daniel, R.; Langeneck, J.; D’Addario, M.; Sunny, A. (2022). "A tale about vipers' tails: phylogeography of black-tailed rattlesnakes". Herpetozoa. 35: 141–153. doi: 10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e84297 .