Crotalus totonacus

Crotalus totonacus is a venomous pit viper species found in northeastern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized.^[5]

Crotalus totonacus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Crotalus
Species:	C. totonacus
Binomial name
Crotalus totonacus Gloyd & Kauffeld, 1940
Synonyms[2]
Crotalus durissus totonacus H.M. Smith & Taylor, 1945 Crotalus basiliscus totonacus Taylor, 1950 [Crotalus (Crotalus) durissus] totonacus J. Peters & Orejas-Miranda, 1970[3] Crotalus durissus neoleonensis Juliá-Zertuche & Treviño-Saldaña, 1978[4] (nomen nudum) Crotalus totonacus Campbell & Lamar, 2004 Crotalus totonacus Quijada-Mascareñas & Wüster, 2006

Common name: Totonacan rattlesnake^[4]

Description

Totonacan Rattlesnake (Crotalus totonacus) in southern Tamaulipas, Mexico (10 July 2005).

Adults frequently grow to more than 150 cm (4 ft 11 in) in length. The largest recorded specimen was 166.5 cm (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in) in length.^[4]

Geographic range

It is found in northeastern Mexico from central Nuevo León through southern Tamaulipas, northern Veracruz, eastern San Luis Potosí and northern Querétaro.^[4] The type locality given is "Panaco Island, about 75 miles [120 km] south of Tampico, Veracruz, Mexico, 12 miles [19 km] inland from Cabo Rojo".^[3]

Diet

Crotalus totonacus is known to prey on small mammals and birds. In addition to mammal hair and bird feathers found in stomachs, specific prey items include cave rats (Neotoma sp.), Allen’s tree squirrels (Sciurus alleni), and rock squirrels (Spermophilus [Otospermophilus] variegatus).^[6]

Taxonomy

This species was previously considered a subspecies of C. durissus.^[3]