Sistrurus

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Sistrurus

Common names: ground rattlesnakes, pigmy rattlesnakes, massasaugas.

Sistrurus is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
of venomous
Venomous snake

A venomous snake is a snake that uses modified saliva, snake venom, usually delivered through highly specialized teeth such as hollow fangs, for the purpose of prey immobilization and self-defense....
pitvipers
Crotalinae

The Crotalinae, or crotalines, are a subfamily of venomous snake Viperidaes found in Asia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head....
found in Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
, the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
and Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
. The name is a Latinized form of the Greek
Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
word for "tail rattler" (Se?st??????, Seistrouros) and shares its root with the ancient Egypt
Egypt

Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
ian musical instrument, the sistrum
Sistrum

A sistrum is a musical instrument of the percussion instrument family, chiefly associated with ancient Egypt. It consists of a handle and a U-shaped metal frame, made of brass or bronze and between 10 and 30 cm in width....
, a type of rattle. Three species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
are currently recognized.

Sistrurus species differ from the larger rattlesnakes of the genus Crotalus
Crotalus

Crotalus is a genus of venomous snake Crotalinaes found only in the Americas from southern Canada to northern Argentina. The name is derived from the Greek word krotalon, which means "rattle" or "castanet", and refers to the rattle on the end of the tail that make this group so distinctive....
in a number of ways.

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Encyclopedia

Common names: ground rattlesnakes, pigmy rattlesnakes, massasaugas.
Sistrurus is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
of venomous
Venomous snake

A venomous snake is a snake that uses modified saliva, snake venom, usually delivered through highly specialized teeth such as hollow fangs, for the purpose of prey immobilization and self-defense....
pitvipers
Crotalinae

The Crotalinae, or crotalines, are a subfamily of venomous snake Viperidaes found in Asia and the Americas. They are distinguished by the presence of a heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and the nostril on either side of the head....
found in Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
, the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
and Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
. The name is a Latinized form of the Greek
Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
word for "tail rattler" (Se?st??????, Seistrouros) and shares its root with the ancient Egypt
Egypt

Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
ian musical instrument, the sistrum
Sistrum

A sistrum is a musical instrument of the percussion instrument family, chiefly associated with ancient Egypt. It consists of a handle and a U-shaped metal frame, made of brass or bronze and between 10 and 30 cm in width....
, a type of rattle. Three species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
are currently recognized.

Description
Sistrurus species differ from the larger rattlesnakes of the genus Crotalus
Crotalus

Crotalus is a genus of venomous snake Crotalinaes found only in the Americas from southern Canada to northern Argentina. The name is derived from the Greek word krotalon, which means "rattle" or "castanet", and refers to the rattle on the end of the tail that make this group so distinctive....
in a number of ways. They are smaller in size, but also their scalation
Scale (zoology)

In most biology nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration....
is different: Sistrurus species have nine large head plates (same as Agkistrodon
Agkistrodon

Agkistrodon is a genus of Venomous snake Crotalinae found in North America from the United States south to northern Costa Rica. The name is derived from the Greek language words ancistro, meaning "hook" and odon, which means "tooth", and is likely a reference to the fangs....
), whereas with Crotalus (and almost all other viperids
Viperidae

The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Australia and Madagascar. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom....
) the head is mostly covered with a large number of smaller scales. Sistrurus species have a relatively small rattle that produces more of a high-pitched, buzzing sound than a rattle, like Crotalus.

Geographic range
Found in southeastern Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
, the eastern and northwestern United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, as well as isolated populations in northern and central Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
.

Venom
Although bites from Sistrurus species are regarded as less dangerous to humans, primarily due to the lower venom yield, every venomous snake bite should be considered serious and prompt medical treatment should always be sought.

Species

Species Taxon author Subsp.* Common name Geographic range
S. catenatus
Sistrurus catenatus

Sistrurus catenatus is a venomous snake Crotalinae species found primarily in the United States. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here....
(Rafinesque, 1818) 2 Massasauga North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
from southeastern Ontario
Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
(Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
) and western New York State southwest to southeastern Arizona
Arizona

The State of Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix, Arizona....
(USA) and northern Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas

Tamaulipas is one of the 31 States of Mexico of Mexico and is located in the northeast....
(Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
). In Mexico, isolated population exist in southern Nuevo León
Nuevo León

Nuevo Le?n is a States of Mexico located in northeastern Mexico. It borders the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east and San Luis Potos? to the south, and Coahuila to the west....
and north-central Coahuila
Coahuila

Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of Mexico's 31 component States of Mexico. It is located in the north of the country.To the north, Coahuila accounts for a stretch of the U.S....
. It occurs in various habitats ranging from swamps and marshes to grasslands, usually below 1500 m altitude.
S. miliarius
Sistrurus miliarius

Sistrurus miliarius is a venomous snake Crotalinae species found in the southeastern United States. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here....
^T (Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus was a Sweden botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern alpha taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology....
, 1766) 2 Pigmy rattlesnake The southeastern United States from eastern and southern North Carolina
North Carolina

North Carolina is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north....
southward through peninsular Florida
Florida

Florida is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the northeast....
and westward to Oklahoma
Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a U.S. state and a sovereignty located in the South Central United States and Southern United States of the United States of America ....
and eastern Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
. It occurs in flatwoods, sandhills, mixed forests, flood plains and around marshes and lakes.
S. ravus
Sistrurus ravus

Sistrurus ravus is a venomous snake Crotalinae species, found only in Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here....
(Cope
Edward Drinker Cope

Edward Drinker Cope was an United States paleontology and comparative anatomy, as well as a noted herpetology and ichthyology.Born to a wealthy Society of Friends family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper in 1859....
, 1865) 2 Mexican pigmy rattlesnake The mountains of central and southern Mexico, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Isthmus of Tehuantepec

The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and prior to the opening of the Panama Canal was a major shipping route known simply as the Tehuantepec Route....
, in the southeastern part of the Mexican Plateau, in the highlands of Morelos
Morelos

Morelos is one of the 31 constituent states of Mexico. Morelos has an area of about , making it the second-smallest of the country's states. Morelos is bordered by Mexico State to the north-east and north-west, the Distrito Federal to the north, Puebla to the east, and Guerrero to the south-west....
, Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala

Tlaxcala is one of the 31 mexican states of Mexico, located to the east of Mexico City....
, Puebla
Puebla

Puebla is a Political divisions of Mexico located in the center east of the country, to the east of Mexico City.The state of Puebla borders the states of Veracruz to the east, Hidalgo , Mexico State, Tlaxcala, and Morelos to the west, and Guerrero and Oaxaca to the south....
, Veracruz
Veracruz

Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the 31 states of Mexico that constitute the republic of Mexico....
, Oaxaca
Oaxaca

The Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca }} is one of the 31 Mexican state of Mexico, located in the southern part of the country, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec....
and the Sierra Madre del Sur
Sierra Madre del Sur

The Sierra Madre del Sur is a mountain range in southern Mexico, extending 1000 km from southern Michoac?n east through Guerrero, to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in eastern Oaxaca ....
in Guerrero
Guerrero

The State of Guerrero is a state in the southern meridional region of Mexico. With an area of , it occupies about 3.3% of Mexican territory. It borders the Pacific Ocean to the south , Michoac?n to the west , Oaxaca to the east , and Mexico State , Morelos , and Puebla to the north ....
.
*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
^T) Type species
Type species

In taxonomy, a type species is the species that originally defined a genus . It is an individual specimen that fixes the name of a genus . Two different definitions are used interchangeably, in a general term and a botanical term....
.

See also

List of crotaline species and subspecies
List of crotaline species and subspecies

This is a list of all Genus, species and subspecies of the Family Crotalinae, otherwise referred to as crotalines, pit vipers or pitvipers. It follows the Alpha taxonomy currently provided by Integrated Taxonomic Information System, which is based on the continuing work of Dr....
Snakebite
Snakebite

Snakes often bite their prey when feeding, but occasionally they also bite humans. People can avoid and treat snakebites by knowing their etiology, along with prevention tips, and first-aid and hospital treatment....

External links

at . Accessed 5 December 2007.