Mecanica

Names

Rattlesnakes receive their name from the rattle located at the end of their tails, which, when shaken, makes a loud rattling noise that deters predators or serves as a warning to passersby.[3] The scientific name Crotalus derives from the Greek, κρόταλον, meaning "castanet".[4] The name Sistrurus is the Latinized form of the Greek word for "tail rattler" (Σείστρουρος, Seistrouros) andshares its root with the ancient Egyptian musical instrument, the sistrum, a type of rattle.[5]
[edit]Ecology

[edit]Range and habitat


Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), responsible for the majority of venomous snakebites in North America, coiled in defensive posture with rattle erect
Rattlesnakes are native to the Americas, living in diverse habitats from Southwestern Canadato Central Argentina. The large majority of species live in the American Southwest and Mexico. Four species may be found east of the Mississippi river, and two in South America. In the United States, the state with the most forms of rattlesnakes is Arizona, with seventeen species and subspecies.[6][7]
Rattlesnakes are found in almost every type of habitat that is capable of supportingterrestrial ectothermic vertebrates; but individual species can have extremely specific habitat requirements, only able to live within certain plant associations in a narrow range of altitudes. Most species live near open, rocky areas. Rocks offer them cover from predators, plentiful prey (e.g. rodents, lizards, insects, etc. that live amidst the rocks), and open basking areas. However, rattlesnakes canalso be found in a wide variety of other habitats including prairies, marshes, deserts, and forests.[8] Rattlesnakes prefer a temperature range between 80 and 90°F (26-32°C), but can survive temperatures below freezing, recovering from brief exposure to temperatures as low as 4°F (-16°C), and surviving for several days in temperatures as low as 37°F (3°C).[9]
Evidence has been collected to show themost probable ancestral area of rattlesnakes is the Sierra Madre Occidental region in Mexico. This same study found the most probable vegetation or habitat of the ancestral area to be pine-oak forests.[7]
[edit]Prey
Rattlesnakes consume mice, rats, small birds and other small animals,[10] playing an important ecological role by limiting the size of rodent populations, which prevents crop damageand stabilizes ecosystems.[11]
Rattlesnakes lie in wait for their prey, or hunt for it in holes.[12] The prey are killed quickly with a venomous bite as opposed to constricting. If the bitten prey moves away before dying, the rattlesnake can follow it by its scent.[13][14] When it locates the fallen prey, it checks for signs of life by prodding with its snout, flicking its tongue, and using itssense of smell. Once the prey has become incapacitated, the rattlesnake locates its head by odors emitted from the mouth. The prey is then ingested head-first, which allows wings and limbs to fold at the joints in a manner which minimizes the girth of the meal.[15] The gastric fluids of rattlesnakes are extremely powerful, allowing for the digestion of bone as well as flesh. Optimal digestionoccurs when the snake maintains a body temperature of between 80 and 85°F (25-29°C). If the prey is small, the rattlesnake will often continue hunting. If it was an adequate meal, the snake will find a warm, safe location in which to coil up and rest until the prey is digested.[16]
Rattlesnakes are believed to require at least their own body weight in water annually in order to remain hydrated. Themethod in which they drink depends on the water source. In larger bodies of water (streams, ponds, etc.) they will submerge their head and ingest water by opening and closing their jaw, which sucks in water. If drinking dew, or drinking from small puddles, they will sip the liquid either by capillary action or by flattening and flooding the lower jaw.[17]
[edit]Predators
Newborn rattlesnakes are...