175.

SNAKES: PICTORIAL KEY TO VENOMOUS SPECIES IN UNITED STATES

PART I
Chester J. Stojanovich and Margaret A. Parsons

I
loreal pit abeent, If ringed red and yellow
I
loreal pit prelent, if absent
rings alway. separated by black red and yellow ringl touch

NON·VENOMOUS SNAKES
I
loreal pit present loreal pit absent

I neek ring red

neck ring black

Micrurw juiv;w
TRUE CORAL SNAKE
~~~---, r----------,
M. J. 6ar6oari M. J. '.ere Micruroidn euryxantluu
__
L.__~______-r~~ F_I~o~ri~d~a__~~A
__rk~a~n~lo~I~,_T~e~.~a~I~________~AR::I~Z:O~N~A CORAL SNAKE

tail pointed tail blunt or witb rattle

I
loreal leale prelent
SEE PART U
I
loreal leale abeent

Aglciltrodon contortriz Aglciltrodon pilcivorw

COPPERHEAD WATER MOCCASIN
..4. p. pUdeonu ..4. p. '_eo.""
Southealtern Te.al, OklahoMa, Kania. Southealtern Southealtern
 .176

PART II

I I
head with small scales medially
head with large scales medially

upper preocular usually touching postnasal upper preocular and postna8al separated

Sistrurus catenatus Sistrurus miliarius

MASSASAUGA RA'ITLESNAKE PIGMY RA'ITLESNAKE
r---~S.-c-.-~-~----.---'
S. c. edlfl.rdiii
& Central u.s. S. m. miliarwI S. In. barbouri S. m. .treelreri
Southealtern Southealtern Southealtern
s. c. te'8..airw.
Colorado, Kansal, Nebralka, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texal

8upraocular scale modified into a hornlike ridge supraocular scale not modified into a hornlike ridge

Crotalus certUtes
SIDEWINDER RA'ITLESNAKE
c. c. certUteo c. c. cercobomb.u C. c. laterorepe...
Arizona, California, Arizona Arizona, Californ ia

internasal ridge present internasal ridge absent

'!II.

Crotalus willardi
RIDGE·NOSED RA'ITLESNAKE

dorsal blotches on body divided into 2 parallel rows

first supralabial scale broadly attached to postna8al scale
I
dorsal blotche8 an body not divided into 2 parallel rows
first snpralabial scale not broadly attached to
postnasal scale, sometimes completely 8eparated
POSTNASAL

~'
Crotalus pricei
TWIN-SPOITED RA'ITLESNAKE Arizona SEE PART III
 177.

PART III

I i
prenasal and r08tral u8ually separated prenasal and rostral attached

Crotalus milchelli pyrrhus

SOUTHWESTERN SPECKLED RATILESNAKE Ar izona. California. Nevada Utah

upper preocular us ually 8eparated vertically. upper preocular usually not separated.
anterior portion rai8ed above posterior portion if separated anterior portion not raised above posterior portiol
POSTtRlOR POIITION

AI/HIIIOR

POIITION • •
~ ___ _ _ _ __
C6J ,
,0----
UPPER PREOCULA~ -------- UPPER PR[OCULAR

C. I. lepidu. C. L "'-beri
New Mexico , rexa. Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

prena. al and supralabial scales with pale 8tripe prenasal and 8upralabial sules without pale stripe

Crotalus adamantew
EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE Southeallern
I
with 2 interna.als with more than 2 interna.ale

Crotalw "iridis
WESTERN RATILESNAKE
c. ... ..iridU c. ... eollClOlor
Wall Cantral U.S. Colorado. Utah

C. e. or~clJlI" - ---,
California, Idaho, Oregon, W~

.upraocular ecale divided. pitted or marsiDI uneveD lupraocular ecale Dot divided. pitted or marsiDI UDeven

Crotalw milchelli .tephemi

PANAMINT RATILESNAKE California, Navada SEE PART IV
 .178

PART IV

I I
tail with distinct rings
tail without distinct rings

I
I
anterior frontal area with large seales
I
anterior frontal area with scales
not much larger than posterior seales

Crotahu Iwrridus
Crotahu moloaaus CANEBRAKE OR TIMBER RATTLESNAKE
C. Ia. Itorridu.
BLACK·TAILED RATTLESNAKE Southwestern
Eastern

seales between supraoculars usually 2 scales between .upraoculars usually 4. or more

MOHAVE RATTLESNAKE Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas

tail not in 8harp contrast to posterior part of body tail in 8harp contrast to posterior part of body

• •
Crotahu tigri.
~
TIGER RATTLESNAKE Arizona

first infralabial scale rarely divided, body color grayi8b

I
first infralabial scale usually divided. body color pink or red

Crotahu atrox Crotalus ruber

WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RAITLESNAKE Southwestern RED DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE California