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Crotalus pusillus



Crotalus pusillus
Conservation status

Endangered (IUCN)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Crotalus
Species: C. pusillus
Binomial name
Crotalus pusillus
Klauber, 1952
Synonyms
  • Crotalus triseriatus - Gadow, 1908
  • Crotalus triseriatus triseriatus - Klauber, 1936
  • Crotalus pusillus - Klauber, 1952[1]
Common names: Tancitaran dusky rattlesnake.[2]

Crotalus pusillus is a venomous pitviper species found in west-central Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]

Contents

Description

Adult males may grow to more than 50 cm in length. Females are smaller. The largest recorded length for a specimen is 68.2 cm.[2]

Behavior

Campbell and Lamar (2004) stated that they found this species only to be active during the day. Within its range, nighttime temperatures are low and apparently restrict its activity.[2]

Geographic range

Found in west-central Mexico in the Sierra de Coalcomán of southwestern Michoacán, the Transverse Volcanic Cordillera of west-central Michoacán, and in adjacent Jalisco. It is probably also found in northeastern Colima. The type locality given is "Tancítaro, Michoacán, Mexico, altitude 5000 feet."[1] Occurs at elevations between 1,525 m and 2,380 m.[2]

Conservation status

This species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: B1ab(iii) (v3.1, 2001).[4] A species is listed as such when the best available evidence indicates that its extent of occurrence is estimated to be less than 5000 km², estimates indicate that its range is severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than five locations, and that a continuing decline has been, observed, inferred or projected in the area, extent and/or quality of its habitat. Therefore it is considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. The population trend is unknown. Year assessed: 2007.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. ^ a b c d Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
  3. ^ Crotalus pusillus (TSN 585828). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 1 August 2007.
  4. ^ Crotalus pusillus at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 13 September 2007.
  5. ^ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 13 September 2007.
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Crotalus_pusillus". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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