The rattlesnakes or Crotalus by their scientific name, are reptiles that owe their name to the characteristic warning sound they emit in situations of danger, similar to the sound emitted by the percussion instrument of the same name. Some authors mention that they emit this sound to avoid being trampled by large mammals.
These snakes belong to the Viperidae family and the Crotalinae subfamily, they are poisonous snakes endemic to America. In total we are talking about 30 species of rattlesnake identified so far, not counting the small species of the genus Sistrurus, which also has a small rattlesnake.
They are animals that live in the United States, passing through Mexico and Central America and even reaching the north of Argentina. On our site we will explain where the rattlesnake lives along with different species and curiosities.
The 4 species of diamondback rattlesnake
There are four species of diamondback rattlesnake: the eastern diamondback, the western diamondback, the red diamondback, and the Tortuga Island diamondback.
- The eastern diamondback rattlesnake can reach up to 240 cm, making it the longest rattlesnake on the planet. It is a native species of the United States, its distribution area is North Carolina, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi and Louisiana. It lives in dry pine forests, longleaf pine forests, swamp forests, wet prairies, and in rodent burrows, especially in the summer and winter seasons.
- The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is the most dangerous snake in the United States, its distribution area is the southern United States and the North of mexico. It prefers arid lands such as deserts and grasslands.
- The Red Diamond Rattlesnake is found in southwestern California, United States, and Baja California, Mexico. It lives in cool coastal areas such as the mountains, although we can also find it in the desert.
- The diamond rattlesnake of Tortuga Island owes its name to the fact that it lives on Tortuga Island, in Mexico.
The photograph shows a red diamond rattlesnake.
USA Exclusive Rattlesnakes
There are a total of three species of rattlesnakes that live in the United States exclusively: the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (which you we talked about in the previous point) and the other two species: the forest rattlesnake and the sidewinder.
- The sidewinder or horned rattlesnake, characteristic for the two protuberances above its eyes, is a species that lives in the southwest of USA.
- The Woodland Rattlesnake lives in most of the northwestern United States. Only surpassed by the prairie rattlesnake, it is the most venomous snake in northern North America, in other words, the one that we can find more easily in the northern regions.
In the image you can see the sidewinder or horned pit viper.
Exclusive jingle bells from Mexico
In total there are thirteen species of rattlesnakes that live in Mexico exclusively, added to the species that live in Mexican and United States territory in a shared way, this country is the one that houses the largest number of rattlesnake species of the world. In addition to the Tortuga Island diamondback rattlesnake that we have already told you about, there are twelve other species that we will introduce you to below.
- The Querétaro rattlesnake is an endemic species of the central highlands of Mexico, its scientific name is Crotalus aquilus. It is found in the states of Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Mexico, Michoacán and San Luis Potosí. Lives in open habitats and rocky meadows.
- The Basilisk Rattlesnake is also known as the West Coast Mexican Rattlesnake and the Mexican Green Rattlesnake. It is found in western Mexico and its name refers to the king because of its large size and the power of its poison.
- The Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake is endemic to the island of the same name, located in southern Baja California. It is a small species and its distinctive feature is that its rattle does not make any sound
- The Baja California rattlesnake is endemic to the coastal area of northwestern Mexico. Its preferred habitat is the desert, but it can also be found in chaparral, pine and oak forests, and tropical forests. Attracted by rodents, it is possible to find them near human garbage. Also discover on our site the marine animals of Baja California.
- The small-headed rattlesnake is native to central and southern Mexico, found in Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca. It lives in pine and oak forests, cloud forests and also in the desert.
- The swamp rattlesnake also called lance-headed rattlesnake, is native to central Mexico. It can be found in Zacatecas, Colima and Veracruz.
- The species autlán and de long tail live in the West.
- The species tancitaro lives in the West and Center.
- Species totonaca, Rayada de la sierra and parda live in the central region, all in Mexican territory.
In the photograph you can see a specimen of the Querétaro rattlesnake.
Rattlesnake found in Mexico and the United States
A total of eight species can be found both in Mexican territory and in the United States, including the Western diamondback rattlesnake which we already talked about in this article. Below you can learn more about the other seven species, focusing more on their habitat:
- The rock rattlesnake is a species native to the southwestern United States and north-central Mexico. In the United States it is found in Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. In Mexico it lives in Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León, Coahuila and Tamaulipas. Its habitat is rocky mountainous areas and tropical forest.
- The lens rattlesnake also known as the spotted rattlesnake, is a species native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. In the United States it can be found in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California. In Mexico it can be found in Baja California.
- The Chihuahua rattlesnake Despite its name, it can also be found in the United States, in the southwest of that country and in the center of Mexico. In the United States it is present in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Texas.
- Among the species that these countries share as a common habitat are: black tail, two spots , tiger and pointed nose found in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
The image shows a rock rattlesnake.
Other species
There are also other species that share several countries as habitat, among these are the tropical rattlesnake, the Central American rattlesnake, the western rattlesnake and the prairie rattlesnake:
- The tropical rattlesnake occupies a wide territory, being the most widely distributed of its kind. It can be found from Mexico to northern South America. In Mexico it can be found in Tamaulipas, Nuevo León and Michoacán. In Central America in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and part of Costa Rica. In South America in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.
- The Central American cascabel, as its name indicates, can be found in regions of Central America and part of Mexico. It is found in semi-arid regions, such as dry tropical forests, spiny forests.
- Western and prairie species are found in southwestern Canada, western United States, and northwestern United States. Mexico.
The photograph shows a tropical rattlesnake.
Now you know where rattlesnakes live,being the United States and Mexico the countries with the greatest presence of these reptiles, to a lesser measure Canada, Central and South America.
These are calm animals that only attack when they feel threatened and before doing so they wag their tails to produce the characteristic sound that distinguishes them from other species of snakes.
If you are interested in snakes, we recommend reading any of the following articles:
- Snakes as pets
- The most poisonous snakes in the world
- Steps to follow before a snake bite
- Python as a pet
