Crotalus triseriatus

Description

Adult male specimens commonly grow to lengths greater than 60 cm (24 in), with females somewhat smaller. The maximum recorded length is 68.3 cm (26.9 in).

Geographic range

The species is found in Mexico, along the southern edge of the Mexican Plateau in the highlands of the Transverse Volcanic Cordillera, including the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, México, Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz. The type locality given is "Mexico". A restriction to "Alvarez, San Luis Potosí, Mexico" was proposed by H.M. Smith and Taylor (1950).

Habitat

Crotalus triseriatus occurs in pine-oak forest, boreal forest, coniferous forest and, bunchgrass grasslands. On Volcán Orizaba, it is found at very high altitudes. There, the snow line comes down to about 4,572 m (15,000 ft), while green plants can be found up to 4,573 m (15,003 ft): the species has been found within this zone. However, they are most common at 2,700 to 3,350 metres (8,860 to 10,990 ft) in elevation.

Conservation status

This species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001). Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because they are unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend was stable when assessed in 2007.

Feeding

Prey reportedly found in the stomachs of this snake include a frog, a murid rodent (Neotomodon alstoni), lizards, other small mammals, crickets, and salamanders.

Venom

Bite symptoms from this species are reported to include intense pain, swelling, faintness, and cold perspiration.

Taxonomy

In the relatively recent past, two additional subspecies were described: