Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

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LouB747
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Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by LouB747 »

Southern AZ. Just iPhone pics. Scute? Sorry, only pic.
Image
Hooded Night Snake?
Image
King from the area
Image

Thanks guys.
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Fieldnotes
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by Fieldnotes »

Looks like a scute to me. The width of the white tail band appears to be tripple the width of the black band.

*Differing from the Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) that has equal length black-and-white bands, the white band of C. scutulatus is double, sometimes triple the width of the black band.
hellihooks
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by hellihooks »

If you can zoom in on the pic in your phone... the head scales are the easiest way to tell... large plates (scutes) for scutalus... fine scales for atrox.
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LouB747
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by LouB747 »

Unfortunately that iphone pic is all I have. So even zoomed in you can't see the scales. I believe the mostly white looking tail section is due to a black band that's imcomplete.
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Steve Bledsoe
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by Steve Bledsoe »

I agree with Fieldnotes - scute

Scutulatus often has broken or dorsally mismatched black tail bands.
The saddles on your snake also look like scutulatus to me.
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LouB747
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by LouB747 »

OK, here's another from the same area. Thoughts? I know, crappy pics to judge by.

Image

Any thoughts on the Night Snake?
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ThamnElegans24
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by ThamnElegans24 »

Both of your rattlers are Western Diamondbacks. Tail bands aren't always a reliable identifying characteristic.
I believe the mostly white looking tail section is due to a black band that's imcomplete.
I agree. As is shown on your second animal.
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

ThamnElegans24 wrote:Both of your rattlers are Western Diamondbacks. Tail bands aren't always a reliable identifying characteristic.
I agree regarding the tail bands. The top of the head is the best distinguishing feature.
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ratsnakehaven
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by ratsnakehaven »

Not sure about the first crote, but the second one sure looks like a d-back.

I don't buy into a separate species for the "hooded" night snake, or even a subspecies. I count them the same as the other night snakes in the same range. Just my 2 cents.

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Aaron Mills
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?

Post by Aaron Mills »

Both 100% atrox.
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