Red
Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber)
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Red
Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) |
Color Photographs: Chris Brown, U.S. Geological Survey
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Crotalus atrox The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, has a wider distribution but is absent from the Southern California range of the Red Diamond Rattlesnake. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake does have a ringed tail, but the rings are not as conspicuous as in the Red Diamond Rattlesnake. Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) Identification: Length 30 to 65 inches. Rattles present. A brick red or tan species. Back with large diamonds outlined with white. Tail before the rattle conspicuously banded in white and black. First pair of lower labial scales usually divided transversely. Geographical Variation: None in the U.S. population, but southern Baja California populations are slightly different from the U.S. and northern Baja California race. Range (see map below left): The Red Diamond Rattlesnake is found in the coastal hills of southwestern California southward to the tip of Baja California. Habitat: This species favors moderate elevations in shrubby desert, chaparral, and drier forms of pine woodlands. However it is also found in grasslands and near farms. Commonly found in the scree fans found at the base of hills and mountains. Food: Ground squirrels, rabbits, and small birds. Behavior: The Red Diamond Rattlesnake is less aggressive than many species of western rattlesnakes, but is still to be avoided Reproduction: A live bearer with a female producing 3 to 20 young each year. Birth takes place during the summer months.
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Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber)
Similar Species: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) |
Similar Species |
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