Title:
This image depicted a 'western Massasauga' rattlesnake, Sistrurus cantenatus tergeminus, which is spottily distributed throughout the Great
Description:
This image depicted a 'western Massasauga' rattlesnake, Sistrurus cantenatus tergeminus, which is spottily distributed throughout the Great Plains grasslands including the tallgrass prairie along the central Gulf Coast in Texas (Tennant, 1997). Within the hurricane strike zone, this snake's range is limited to the Texas Gulf Coast from a small area near the city of Palacios, northwestward towards the Panhandle (Price, 1996). This is important for the residents of, or first-responders to these areas in case of such a disaster.The ground color of the western massasauga is typically gray to tan and the dorsum bears a series of round. to irregularly-shaped dark blotches. The sides of the head display a dark, white-edged mask that runs diagonally from the crown across both eyes, and ends posteriorly to the corners of the mouth (Connant, 1975; Tennant 1998). The ventral scales of this subspecies are mottled with gray pigment (Connant, 1975).
Creator:
CDC/ Edward J. Wozniak D.V.M., Ph.D.; Michael Smith
Source:
Views:
1,800
Downloads:
16
Date Added:
October 31, 2012