| Revision as of 04:23, 30 October 2006 editIamunknown (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers15,635 editsm "Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus" -> "S. catenatus tergeminus"← Previous edit | Revision as of 13:57, 30 October 2006 edit undoJwinius (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users23,054 edits Taxobox: fixed wlink error in image caption.Next edit → | ||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
| | name = ''Sistrurus'' | | name = ''Sistrurus'' | ||
| | image = Sistrurus_catetanus_tergeminus_by_LA_Dawson.jpg | | image = Sistrurus_catetanus_tergeminus_by_LA_Dawson.jpg | ||
| | image_caption = Western Massasauga, '']'' | | image_caption = Western Massasauga, '']'' | ||
| | image_size = 240px | | image_size = 240px | ||
| | regnum = ]ia | | regnum = ]ia | ||
Revision as of 13:57, 30 October 2006
| Sistrurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Western Massasauga, S. catenatus tergeminus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Subfamily: | Crotalinae |
| Genus: | Sistrurus Garman, 1883 |
Sistrurus is a genus of small, venomous rattlesnakes commonly known as massasaugas and pigmy rattlesnakes. This group, which includes three species, is native to the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Description
Sistrurus species differ from the larger rattlesnakes of the genus Crotalus in a number of ways. They are smaller in size, but also their scalation is different: Sistrurus species have nine large head plates (same as Agkistrodon), whereas with Crotalus (and almost all other viperids) the head is covered with a large number of smaller scales. Sistrurus species have a relatively small rattle that produces more of a high-pitched, buzzing sound than a rattle, like Crotalus.
Venom
Although bites from Sistrurus species are regarded as less dangerous to humans, primarily due to the lower venom yield, every venomous snake bite should be considered serious and prompt medical treatment should always be sought.
Species
| Species | Authority | Subsp.* | Common name | Geographic range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S. catenatus | Rafinesque, 1818 | 2 | Massasauga | United States (Texas to Michigan), Canada (Ontario) |
| S. miliarius | Linnaeus, 1766 | 2 | Pigmy rattlesnake | South-eastern United States |
| S. ravus | Cope, 1865 | 2 | Mexican pigmy rattlesnake | Mexico |
*) Not including the nominotype (typical form).
See also
External links
- Genus Sistrurus at The Reptile Database
- Sistrurus at Herpbreeder.com. Accessed 26 September 2006.