Southern AZ. Just iPhone pics. Scute? Sorry, only pic.
Hooded Night Snake?
King from the area
Thanks guys.
Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
Moderator: Scott Waters
- Fieldnotes
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
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.
*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.
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
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.
Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
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.
- Steve Bledsoe
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
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.
Scutulatus often has broken or dorsally mismatched black tail bands.
The saddles on your snake also look like scutulatus to me.
- ThamnElegans24
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
Both of your rattlers are Western Diamondbacks. Tail bands aren't always a reliable identifying characteristic.
I agree. As is shown on your second animal.I believe the mostly white looking tail section is due to a black band that's imcomplete.
- chris_mcmartin
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
I agree regarding the tail bands. The top of the head is the best distinguishing feature.ThamnElegans24 wrote:Both of your rattlers are Western Diamondbacks. Tail bands aren't always a reliable identifying characteristic.
- ratsnakehaven
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
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.
Terry
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.
Terry
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Re: Atrox or Scute? Hooded?
Both 100% atrox.