Pit Viper - Pit Vipers

 The black-tailed rattlesnake is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Four subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Black-Tailed Rattlesnake Kingdom Animalia  Phylum Chordata  Class Reptilia  Order Squamata  Suborder Serpentes  Family Viperidae  Genus Crotalus Scientific Name Crotalus molossus Description The Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Pit Viper) is a large (< 1524 mm total length, Platt and Rainwater 2009, but most are < 1000 mm TL in Arizona), heavy-bodied pit viper.  Atop the head is usually some darkening of the snout and normally a dark band or patch between the eyes, although some desert specimens lack that band. The dorsal pattern of the body is 20-41 light-edged, dark blotches or diamonds.  The anterior blotches and sometimes posterior blotches have some light interior scales, and many of the dark blotches coalesce with lateral blotches and ...