Mojave rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus
31.3404, -110.934
Field Notes
Description:
The color varies from shades of brown to pale green depending on the surroundings. The green hue found among Mojave rattlesnakes has led to them being known as "Mojave greens" in some areas. Like the Western Diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), which it closely resembles, the Mojave has a dark diamond pattern along its back. With C. scutulatus the white bands on the tail tend to be wider than the black, while the band width is usually more equal in C. atrox. Additionally, C. scutulatus has enlarged scales on top of the head between the supraoculars and the light post-ocular stripe passes behind the corner of the mouth. In C. atrox, the crown is covered in small scales and the light post-ocular stripe intersects the mouth.
Habitat:
Primarily a snake of high desert or lower mountain slopes, they are often found near scrub brush such as mesquite and creosote, but may also reside in lowland areas of sparse vegetation, among cacti, Joshua tree forests, or grassy plains. They tend to avoid densely vegetated and rocky areas, preferring open arid habitats.
Notes:
As noted in the description, the Mojave is very similar to the western diamondback rattlesnake. One identifying feature that sets them apart is the scales between the supraocular scales (anteriorly). See the 3rd photo for an example of this. The Mojave has 2 large scales (outlined in yellow). The western d'back has 3 or more scales separating the supraoculars and an example of this can be seen in this spotting: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8591233 . The snake in these photos is a newborn.
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