WESTERN TWIN SPOTTED RATTLESNAKE
Scientific name: Crotalus pricei pricei
Size
The average size of a mature Western Twin Spotted Rattlesnake is 1 - 2 feet.
Description
The Western Twin Spotted Rattlesnake is a slender snake. The body color of the snake is a blue-grey or brown. The body is patterned with two rows of darker spots or blotches. The blotches are not always paired together. The blotches form together into a single row near the tail. The end of the tail has a rattle on it. There is a cheek-stipe on both sides of the head that starts at the eye and runs diagonally down and backwards to the jaw. The cheek-stripe is edges by a lighter color.
The Western Twin Spotted Rattlesnake has elliptical pupils that look like cat's eyes and like all pit vipers, has a heat-sensing pit between the nostril and eye on each side of its head. The Banded Rock Rattlesnake has a relatively small triangular head that is only slightly wider than the neck when viewed from above.
Distribution
In the United States, the Western Twin Spotted Rattlesnake is found only in Arizona.
Map does not show area of true distribution, only the states in which there is a population.
Actual distribution in any highlighted state may be limited.
Photo used by permission:
© 1995 Glenn McCrea
For more information on venomous snakes, please see the Venomous Links page.
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