Crotalus polystictus

Crotalus polystictus
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Crotalinae
Genus:	Crotalus
Species:	C. polystictus
Binomial name
Crotalus polystictus (Cope, 1865)
Synonyms
Crotalus lugubris - Jan, 1859 C[rotalus]. lugubris var. multimaculata - Jan, 1863 Caudisona polysticta - Cope, 1865 Crot[alus]. lugubris var. multimaculata - Jan & Sordelli, 1874 C[rotalus]. polystictus - Cope In Yarrow In Wheeler, 1875 Crotalus Jimenezii - Dugès, 1877 [Crotalus triseriatus] Var. jimenezii - Garman, 1884 Crotalus polystictus - Boulenger, 1896 Crotalus polystictus - Klauber, 1972[1]

Common names: Mexican lance-headed rattlesnake,^[2] lance-headed rattlesnake.^[3]

Crotalus polystictus is a venomous pitviper species found in central Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.^[4]

Description

Adults usually grow to 60-70 cm, although exceptionally large specimens may be as much as 100 cm in length.^[2]

Geographic range

Found on the plateau of central Mexico from southern Zacatecas and northeastern Colima east to east-central Veracruz. Occurs at elevations between 1,450 m and 2,600 m. The type locality given is "Table Land, Mexico", although a restriction to "Tupátaro, Guanajuanto, Mexico" was proposed by Smith and Taylor (1950).^[1]

Conservation status

This species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001).^[5] Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend is down. Year assessed: 2007.^[6]

See also

• List of crotaline species and subspecies
• Crotalus by common name
• Crotalus by taxonomic synonyms
• Crotalinae by common name
• Crotalinae by taxonomic synonyms
• Snakebite

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} 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. ^ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
4. ^ "Crotalus polystictus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=585827. Retrieved 1 August 2007. 
5. ^ Crotalus polystictus at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 13 September 2007.
6. ^ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 13 September 2007.

External links

• Crotalus polystictus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 12 December 2007.
• Mexican Lance-headed Rattlesnake at the Saint Louis Zoo. Accessed 18 June 2008.