Escudo de la República de Colombia Escudo de la República de Colombia
Panel de Accesibilidad

✎ Juan Pablo Rodríguez Malaver

✎ Juan Pablo Rodríguez Malaver

✎ Diego Aguilera

Rattlesnake
Crotalus durissusOrinoquia region

  • Generalities
  • Morpho-functionality
  • Lifecycle
  • Distribution

RECORRIDO VIRTUAL POR LA BIODIVERSIDAD DE COLOMBIA
Museo de Historia Natural
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Rattlesnake
Crotalus durissus

They get to measure two meters in length and have a characteristic rattle on their tail. They generally feed on small mammals such as rats and occasionally larger preys; By feeding on these types of animals, they play a fundamental role in the control of pest species. They are one of the most poisonous vipers in Latin America.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the Wild

Critically Endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near Threatened

Least Concern

Not Evaluated

Data Deficient

Morpho-functionality

Tail

The sound of its bell is used as a warning mechanism, it is formed by horny, dry and trilobed segments, which remain as a vestige of each molt.

Senses

They have infrared sensory pits, making it easier to detect warm-blooded animals at night.

Fangs

They have long and curved fangs and through these inoculate hemotoxic venom (solenoglyph teeth).

Lifecycle

It is a viviparous species and its reproductive season is accompanied by competitive encounters between males, this occurs towards the end of the rainy seasons that begin in March. The gestation begins between the months of October and January and the addition of juveniles to the population occurs between January and March. Females can give birth between 21-31 young, depending on their length. Juveniles go through the first skin molt (ecdysis) at the end of the first day of birth.

Rattlesnake

Distribution

They are distributed from Canada to Argentina, in Colombia we can find it in the northeast of La Guajira, the Magdalena river valley, except the middle Magdalena, Huila, the east of the Andes mountain range and in the oriental plains. Its altitudinal distribution ranges from five to 2.040 m. They mainly inhabit tropical dry forest ecosystems and in the transition to premontane humid forest below 500 m.

Distribution area