Western Massasauga Rattlesnakes are gray or grayish-brown with dark bands or blotches down the back. Taxa Common Name Scientific Name Habitat Model Report Range Data Habitat Data Species Viewer; Amphibian: Austin Blind Salamander: Eurycea waterlooensis: Download The survey takes place every year in May at the SSP’s annual meeting at the Edward Lowe Foundation. It is brownish with saddle- or butterfly-shaped darker brown blotches on the back that alternate with smaller blotches on the sides. Females are generally shorter in length than males. But, because of the snake’s elusive and shy behavior, people rarely are bitten by them. Habitat: This species is a denizen of open, wet areas. Mojave Rattlesnake Crotalus s. scutulatus The timber rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake or banded rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to eastern North America. The massasauga can be characterized as a shy, sluggish snake. The Western Massasauga is a medium-sized pit viper with a gray to light-brown dorsal base color, a row of 21–50 dark-brown to black dorsal blotches, and three rows of small brown to black blotches on each side of its body (Ernst 1992). This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous northeastern United States and is second only to its cousins to the west, the prairie rattlesnake, as the most northerly distributed venomous snake in North America. The head is a thick diamond shape with dark stripes extending back from the eyes. Of course the topic of Colorado snakes often leads to questions about the state’s venomous snakes. Found in bog areas, swamps and dry fields. Top Christmas Gifts For Your Puppy. Because these lands are greatly reduced due primarily to agriculture, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for these … There are three recognized subspecies of this species. tail has approximately 3 to 6 dark brown or black rings and tipped with a small rattle. Unlike other rattlesnakes, these rattlesnakes have 9 enlarged scales on the top of their head. So, yes there is danger. Western Massasauga populations in Kansas and Missouri using a larger set of microsatellite loci and more-complete analyses than previously used. Urgent Care. There are authenticated fatal bites in man. The rattle is fairly small and when rattled sounds like an angry bee. The underside is light with some dark markings. However, the rattlesnake that you find in Alabama is likely to be a different species to the one you would find in California. Ontario and Michigan, the province and state with the most massasaugas, report an average of 1 to 2 bites a year. Specifically, we tested whether Western Massasauga populations in Kansas, which appear to occupy less-fragmented habitats, showed reduced levels of genetic structure as compared to other species. It is Michigan's only venomous snake, and one of only two rattlesnake species that occur in the Great Lakes region. Reader Favorites. The massasauga is native to the lower peninsula of Michigan and several other Great Lakes states. This heat-seeking ability is especially useful for finding food during the dark of night. Occasionally, this coloration can be so dark as to appear almost black. Prairie rattlesnakes are common throughout the state, including mountain areas below the tree line. Its thick body is colored with a pattern of dark brown slightly rectangular patches set against a light gray-to-brown background. They can usually be … The belly is generally light colored. The Western Massasauga has tan-gray or light gray background color with dark brown blotches. The eastern massasauga is primarily associated with wetland habitats but some populations also utilize adjacent upland habitats for parts of its life history. The Western Massasauga (pronounced mass-a-saw'-ga) Rattlesnake is one of the smallest rattlesnakes found in Missouri wetlands and marshes. Like all pitvipers, Massasauga rattlesnakes have heat-sensitive pits located on each side of the head, between the nostril and eye. Western Massasaugas typically have a whitish or cream-colored belly with dark lateral blotches. Blotches on the back become bands near the tail, which is tipped by a small rattle. You can easily distinguish 25 rows of scales that run mid length on its lightly colored body. It is a small- to medium-sized snake, with adult lengths averaging 2 to 3 feet. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake ranges from western New York and southern Ontario to eastern Iowa and Missouri. The Eastern Massasauga, a special type of rattlesnake that experts working at Carlyle Lake are trying their best to protect. Search the Blog Trending Topics. There are three, all rattlesnakes, Prairie rattlesnake, Western rattlesnake, and the Massasauga rattlesnake. The snake is listed as threatened because of loss of population throughout its range. Rattlesnake. 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