Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

Description:

Rattlesnake about 1 m long. When we found it, it just moved away for some vegetation cover. In Kings Canyon National Park, California, USA

Habitat:

Pine forest

Species ID Suggestions

9 Comments

LuisStevens 11 years ago

Thank you Sophia Iberia Martinez

Sophia Iberia Martinez 11 years ago

wow! great picture!

LuisStevens 11 years ago

I really apreciate the interest in the ID of this Rattlesnake.
Thank you Jellis and Aaron G

Aaron_G 11 years ago

I'm not 100% sure on it, by any means. I looked up the location of the park where Luis spotted the snake and then looked at ranges according to that location. The park seems to be nowhere near the southern pacific rattlesnake range or the integrade zone between northern and southern. That's how I based my guess.

Jellis 11 years ago

this shows there are at least 3 that overlap
http://www.californiaherps.com/identific...
Suggest Liam for advice

Jellis 11 years ago

I'm thinking your correct that it may not be Western Diamond but the range is closer to the Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus)
http://www.californiaherps.com/identific...

Aaron_G 11 years ago

C. atrox have a distinct black and white banded tail, and this one just doesn't look like wdb at all to me. Also, their range is only the southern tip of the state. I'm looking at range maps and the CA herp site and it seems as though the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake is the best choice based on that data and this image.

http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pa...