A Rattlesnake.
This image is released under Creative Commons CC0. Copyright and related or neighboring rights to this image has been waived. You are free to adapt and use for commercial purposes without attributing the original author or source. Although not required, a link back is appreciated.
Rattlesnake, any of 33 species of venomous New World vipers characterized by a segmented rattle at the tip of the tail that produces a buzzing sound when vibrated. Rattlesnakes are found from southern Canada to central Argentina but are most abundant and diverse in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Beautiful and misunderstood: Rattlesnakes! The word alone fills most people with fear and anxiety, because they have no experience in dealing with snakes. Yet we should learn to appreciate the rattlesnake as one of the most efficient and specialized predators on Earth. Many rattlesnakes struggle to survive as humans move in on their habitat.
Rattlesnakes are known for their relatively heavy bodies and diamond-shaped heads. They are considered to be the newest or most recently evolved snakes in the world. Rattlesnakes have either a rattle or a partial rattle made of interlocking rings, or segments of keratin, the same material our fingernails are made of. When vibrated, the rattle creates a hissing sound that warns off potential predators.
It is an extremely effective and highly evolved predator-avoidance system. Another rattlesnake characteristic is the “pit” on each side of the head, which is a heat-sensitive organ for locating prey.
