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Reptiles of the United States  
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A Guide to the Reptiles &
Amphibians of the United States
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Snakes of the U.S.

 



Abbreviation Legend

  • (CE) - Criticially Endangered
  • (CI) - Critically Imperiled
  • (E) - Endangered
  • (I) - Introduced
  • (IM) - Imperiled
  • (NT) - Near Threatened
  • (T) - Threatened
  • (V) - Vulnerable
  • (**) - Recent Classification Change
Home »» Snakes »» Viperidae (Pit Viper Snakes)

Vipers of the United States


Viperidae in the United States are stout-bodied, with heads that are distinctly wider then the neck and patterned with blotches or crossbands. They have curved, retractable hollow fangs located near the front of the upper jaw. Normally folded back along the jaw, they fangs are quickly swung forward as the mouth is opened to strike. A heat-sensitive pit is present on each side of the head between the eye and the nostril. These are used to locate warm blooded prey. Vipers also have eyes with vertical pupils and an individual row of scales under the tail. Rattlesnakes bear a distinctive rattle on their tail. This unique structure is a series of flattened, interlocking dry horny segments that product a buzzing noise when shaken vigorously. A new segment is added each time the snakes sheds their skin which is 2 to 4 times a year. Vipers appear to be the most highly evolved snakes, organized for capturing, killing, and ingesting relatively large warm-blooded prey. Their venom is a complex mixture of proteins, which act primarily on a victim's blood tissue. Extreme caution is advised as even "road kill" snakes have been known to bite. Most are nocturnal and most bear their young live.

 

There are only 25 species, belonging to only 3 genus, of Vipers in the United States.

Venomous-sign (137K)

Florida Cottonmouth
(Agkistrodon conanti)

Eastern Copperhead
(Askistrodon contortrix)

Broad-Banded Copperhead
(Agkistrodon laticinictus)

Cottonmouth
(Agkistrodon piscivorus)

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
(Crotalus adamanteus)

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
(Crotalus atrox)

Sidewinder
(Crotalus cerastes)

Arizona Black Rattlesnake
(Crotalus cerberus)

Timber Rattlesnake
(Crotalus horridus)

Rock Rattlesnake
(Crotalus lepidus)

Speckled Rattlesnake
(Crotalus mitchellii)

Western Black-Tailed Rattlesnake
(Crotalus molossus)

Western Rattlesnake
(Crotalus oreganus)

Eastern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake
(Crotalus ornatus)

Twin Spotted Rattlesnake
(Crotalus pricei)

Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
(Crotalus pyrrhus)

Red Diamond Rattlesnake
(Crotalus ruber)

Mojave Rattlesnake
(Crotalus scutulatus)

Panamint Rattlesnake
(Crotalus stephensi)

Tiger Rattlesnake
(Crotalus tigris)

Prairie Rattlesnake
(Crotalus viridis)

Ridge-Nosed Rattlesnake
(Crotalus willardi)

Eastern Massasauga
(Sistrurus catenatus)

Pygmy Rattlesnake
(Sistrurus miliarius)

Western Massasauga
(Sistrurus tergeminus)
 
 
 

Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 
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