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blue rattlesnake
Scientific Name: Crotalaria verrucosa
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Duration: Annual
Other Names:
Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus)
Common Names
- Rock Rattlesnake
- Green Rattlesnake
- Blue Rattlesnake
- Texas Blue Bonnet Rattlesnake (Note: this may be a hoax or joke)
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Crotalus lepidus
- Family: Not explicitly stated, but implied to be part of the Viperidae family based on the text mentioning "venomous pit viper".
- Note: The text mentions related species like Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake), Crotalus oreganus oreganus (Northern Pacific Rattlesnake), and Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus (Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake).
Distribution and Habitat
- Found in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
- Specifically mentioned in the Texas Hill Country and other parts of Texas.
- Described as a "mountain rock dweller."
- Also found in Arizona.
Morphological Characteristics
- Small size: up to 840 mm (33 inches) in total length (excluding rattle).
- Coloration: Light greenish-gray to blue-gray, with 14 to 24 dark gray-brown to black bands.
- The Mojave rattlesnake can easily be mistaken for the Western Diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), which inhabits an overlapping range.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- May prey on other rattlesnakes.
- Mentioned in predator-prey interactions with the Texas Indigo Snake.
- The Blue Indigo Snake is apparently immune to Rattlesnake venom.
Additional Information
- The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) is the only rattlesnake native to British Columbia, Canada.
Quirky Facts
- There have been reports and circulated images (though possibly hoaxes) of rattlesnakes with blue coloration, sometimes referred to as "Texas Blue Bonnet Rattlesnakes."