Sistrurus tergeminus, also known as the western massasauga, is a rattlesnake found in the southwestern plains of the United States and northern Mexico. Like all rattlesnakes, it is a pit viper and is venomous.

The western massasauga is a small rattlesnake (albiet slightly larger than its close cousins) which occurs in the American midwest in wet meadows, marshes, and woodlands. The diet of the western massasauga consists primarily of mammals but also snakes, lizards, birds, and frogs.

2024年1月31日 · Defense: Western massasaugas use their characteristic rattle to warn off predators, and use its venomous bite in defense when disturbed. (Hammerson 1999) Natural Predators: Predators of this snake include “... various carnivorous mammals, hawks, racers and coachwhips”. (Hammerson 1999) Hammerson G. A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado.

2018年3月31日 · Compared to some of the more commonly observed and well-known rattlesnakes, the western massasauga is a true dwarf race. Most adults encountered are less than 20 inches in total length,...

2020年7月26日 · The western massasauga rattlesnake is a medium sized, <25 in/65 cm, pit viper with light-brown base color and a row of dark brown blotches, that are wider than they are long. Massasauga have a distinctive dark brown eye stripe that extends back from each eye to the corners of the mouth.

Prominent chocolate colored stripe that runs through the eye and above the corner of the mouth; this dark ocular stripe has a thin, bright white line below it. Rattlesnakes are not generally aggressive and will likely flee if given a chance. They are of course venomous, and should be treated with great respect.

The Western Massasauga has tan-gray or light gray background color with dark brown blotches. The underside is light with some dark markings. The head has a dark broad stripe along each side. They have a high pitches rattle sound, giving them the nickname buzztail. They are mainly nocturnal, but are sometimes seen basking in the sun during the day.

The Western Massasauga is categorized as one of several primitive rattlesnakes in the genus Sistrurus. Unlike other rattlesnakes, these rattlesnakes have 9 enlarged scales on the top of their head.

In the United States, this beautiful rattlesnake is distributed from central New York in a broad, diagonal swathe across the Midwest to southeastern Arizona.

The western massasauga is a medium sized, <25 in/65 cm, pit viper with light-brown base color and a row of dark brown blotches, that are wider than they are long. Massasauga have a distinctive dark brown eye stripe that extends back from each eye to the corners of the mouth. Females are generally shorter in length than males.