El crótalo diamante occidental (Crotalus atrox) es una serpiente venenosa originaria de los desiertos, praderas y matorrales de los EE. UU. y México. Recibe este nombre por el patrón que forman las escamas grises y marrones en su espalda. Alcanza una longitud media de 1,2 m, aunque se tienen registros de ejemplares de hasta 2,1 m, y los machos son mayores que las hembras. Es una especie peligrosa que atacará si se siente amenazada.
Latin Name
Crotalus atrox
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Animal Facts
The Western diamondback rattlesnake is responsible for the most snakebite fatalities in Mexico and the USA.
The rattle at the end of the Western diamondback rattlesnake's tail is used to create warning signals when it is threatened.
The Western diamondback rattlesnake has a heat-sensing pit behind each nostril that allows it to perceive very slight differences in temperature in the environment; this makes it a formidable hunter.
Western diamondback rattlesnakes eat only every 2 to 3 weeks in the wild.
The presence of the Western diamondback rattlesnake is beneficial to humans because they keep rodent levels low.