ニシダイヤガラガラヘビ (Crotalus atrox) は、アメリカ合衆国およびメキシコの砂漠、草原、低木地が原産の毒ヘビである。背中の灰色と茶色の鱗がダイヤ模様に配置されていることが、名前の由来である。全長は平均 1.2m だが、2.1m の個体がいたという記録が残っている。オスはメスより大きい。身の危険を感じると襲いかかってくる危険種である。
Latin Name
Crotalus atrox
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western-diamondback-rattlesnake
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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.