Average length of adult copperheads is 30 inches. They have an unmarked copper-colored head, reddish-brown, coppery bodies with chestnut brown crossbands that constrict towards the midline. Copperheads are thick-bodied and have keeled scales.
There is a temperature sensitive pit organ on each side of the head between the eye and the nostril. There is a single row of scales beneath the tail (Schmidt 1941, Tyning 1990).
Tails have no rattle (Ernst 1989).
Young copperheads are 7-10 inches long and grayer in color than adults. They have a sulfur yellow tipped tail, which fades with age and is lost by age 3 or 4.
Copperheads are sexually dimorphic in size. Males have longer tails than females and females grow to greater lengths (Tyning 1990).
The head of the Northern Copperhead is a red, copper color with the rest of its body being pinkish to gray-brown with a dark chestnut colored hourglass shaped pattern. The hourglass pattern is narrow on the top of its back and wider on its sides. It has elliptical pupils and facial pits between its eyes and nostrils (Ohio DNR 1999).
The underside, belly area, of the northern subspecies is dark (Schmidt & Davis 1941).
The southern copperhead subspecies is similar to the northern copperhead but the coloration is paler and the crossbands fail to meet at the midline. Also the belly of the southern subspecies is light in color (Schmidt & Davis 1941).
Broad-banded copperheads have bright coloration with a sharp contrast between the pattern and the ground color. The crossbands are very broad at the midline and always meet. The belly is dark (Schmidt and Davis 1941).
The osage copperhead is similar to those of the northern subspecies but the crossbands are often edged in white (Conant and Collins 1998).
The belly of the Trans-pecos Copperhead is strongly patterned. Also there is a pale area located at the base of each broad crossband (Conant and Collins 1998).
Other Physical Features: heterothermic
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 29.8 years.
Copperheads prefer terrestrial to semi-aquatic habitats, which include rocky-forested hillsides and various wetlands (Tyning 1990). They have also been known to occupy abandoned and rotting slab or sawdust piles (Conant 1998).
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Overall, the species inhabits the Florida panhandle north to Massachusetts and west to Nebraska (Georgia Wildlife Federation 1999)
The Northern Copperhead (A. c. mokasen) inhabits northern Georgia and Alabama north to Massachusetts and west to Illinois.
The Southern Copperhead (A. c. contortrix) inhabits the Florida panhandle north to Southern Delaware and west to SE Missouri, SE Oklahoma and E Texas.
The Broad-banded Copperhead (A. contortrix laticinctus) ranges from northern Oklahoma to south-central Texas.
The Osage Copperhead (A. c. phaeogaster) lives in eastern Missouri to eastern Kansas and south to northeastern Oklahoma.
The Trans-pecos Copperhead (A. c. pictigaster) lives in west Texas.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
The Copperhead is primarily a carnivore, as an adult eating mostly mice but also small birds, lizards, small snakes, amphibians and insects-especially cicadas (Conant and Collins 1998). The snakes are capable of swallowing prey that is several times larger than their own diameter. This is possible because they have a very flexible jaw and it has digestive juices that allow it to digest both bones and fur. Copperheads have fangs that inject its prey with a hemolytic venom (causes the breakdown of red blood cells) which subdues its prey, making it easy for the snake to swallow it. The copperhead seeks out its prey using its heat sensitive pits to detect objects that are warmer then its environment. This also enables them to find nocturnal mammalian prey (Ohio DNR 1999). Adult copperheads are primarily ambushers. When attacking large prey, the copperhead bites then releases immediately to allow the venom to take its effect then later tracks its prey. Whereas the smaller prey is held in its mouth until it dies (Ernst 1989). When the copperhead eats depends on the time of the year. They are most active April through late October, diurnal in the spring and fall, and nocturnal during the summer months (Ohio DNR 1999). When carrying young, some females will not eat at all because the embryos occupy so much of the body cavity. It has been found that some copperheads consume only eight meals in a single growing season. The only possible explanations for this could be due to a slow metabolism and/or difficulty finding prey ( Tyning 1990).
Young copperheads eat mostly insects, especially caterpillars, and use their yellow tipped tails to function as a worm-like lure to attract prey (Georgia Wildlife Federation 1999).
No special status federally, however it is listed in the state of Massachusetts as endangered (Umass 1999).
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Venom and Bites:
The copperhead has solenogiyphous fangs that tend to be 1.1-7.2 mm in length. The length of the snake relates to the length of the fangs; the longer the snake, the longer the fangs. Even newborn copperheads have fully functional fangs that are capable of injecting venom. These newborns have venom that is just as toxic as adults do. The fangs are replaced periodically with each snake having a series of five to seven replacement fangs in the gums behind and above the current functional fang.
The venom, which is highly hemolytic, causes massive hemorrhaging to the copperhead's prey. As for humans, recorded symptoms include pain, swelling, weakness, giddiness, breathing difficulty, hemorrhage, either an increased or decreased pulse, nausea, vomiting, gangrene, ecchymosis, unconsciousness, stupor, fever, sweating, headache and intestinal discomfort. The copperhead is the cause of many snakebites yearly but they are rarely fatal. Bites occur by accidentally stepping on or touching the snake, which tends to be well camouflaged with its surroundings. When touched, the copperhead quickly strikes or remains quiet and tries to crawl away. Sometimes when touched, they emit a musk that smells like cucumbers (Ernst 1989).
The life span of the copperhead is 18 years. Both sexes reach sexual maturity at 4 years when they are about two feet in length. However, Ernst (1989) notes that the age and size of maturity in the male copperhead is unknown. The breeding season is from February to May and from August to October. Females who breed in autumn can store the sperm until after she emerges from the overwintering site (Tyning 1990). The length of time that the sperm can be stored appears to differ depending on where it is being stored. If the sperm is stored in the cloaca, it only lasts a relatively short time, whereas if it is stored in the upper end of the oviducts in vascular tissues specialized as seminal receptacles it seems to last much longer (Ernst 1989). Copperheads have a gestation period of 3-9 months. They are a live-bearing snake, typically producing 2-10 young, where larger females produce larger broods. After birth, the female provides no direct care for the young (Tyning 1990).
Females are ovoviviparous. Eggs develop in the body of the female and hatch within or immediately after being expelled. They produce large, yolk-filled eggs and store the eggs in the reproductive tract for development. The embryo, during this time, receives no nourishment from the female, only from the yolk. The young are expelled in a membranous sac. At birth they weigh less than an ounce and are 7-10 inches in length (Ohio DNR 1999).
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; sexual ; ovoviviparous
Average number of offspring: 6.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 730 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 730 days.
Qonurbaş qalxansifət (lat. Agkistrodon contortrix) — gürzəkimilər fəsiləsinin agkistrodon cinsinə aid ilan növü.
Qonurbaş qalxansifət (lat. Agkistrodon contortrix) — gürzəkimilər fəsiləsinin agkistrodon cinsinə aid ilan növü.
Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf (Agkistrodon contortrix) gehört mit seinen fünf Unterarten innerhalb der Familie der Vipern (Viperidae) zur Gattung der Dreieckskopfottern (Agkistrodon).
Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf erreicht eine Länge von rund 90 Zentimeter, in seltenen Fällen auch bis 1,2 Meter. Sein Rücken hat eine ockerfarbene Grundfärbung und ist mit kupferroten Querbändern überzogen. Die Querbänder sind schwarz eingefasst. Sein flacher und von der Form her dreieckiger Kopf setzt sich deutlich vom Körper ab. Der Kopf ist zu den Seiten hin heller gefärbt. Ein weißer Streifen verläuft von den Augen bis zum Mundwinkel. Die Schnauze läuft zur Spitze hin recht spitz zu. Die Pupillen sind senkrecht geschlitzt. Auffälliges Merkmal sind seine Lorealgruben, die sich zwischen Augen und Nasenöffnung befinden und deutlich sichtbar sind. Lorealgruben sind Organe, mit denen Grubenottern (Crotalinae) Temperaturunterschiede wahrnehmen können.
Der Nordamerikanische Kupferkopf ist eine dämmerungs- und nachtaktive Schlange, die sich tagsüber in einem Versteck aufhält. Erdhöhlen, Baumstümpfe und Steinhaufen sind seine natürlichen Rückzugspunkte. Je nach Verbreitungsgebiet hält die Schlange eine Winterruhe, die vier bis sechs Monate dauern kann.
Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf ist mit seinen Unterarten in weiten Teilen der Südstaaten der USA und im Norden Mexikos verbreitet. Bevorzugt werden lichte Wälder, Feuchtwiesen und Bergregionen mit Höhen von bis zu rund 1.000 Metern. Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf ist gelegentlich auch auf Agrarflächen wie Wiesen und Felder anzutreffen.
Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf frisst alles, was er überwältigen kann. Sein Spektrum reicht von Kleinsäugern wie Mäusen und Ratten, über Vögel, Reptilien, Amphibien bis hin zu Insekten. Die Schwanzspitze der Kupferköpfe ist auffallend türkis-grün gefärbt und wird als Wurmimitat verwendet, um z. B. Vögel anzulocken.
In der freien Natur findet die Paarung in den Monaten April und Mai statt. Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf gehört zu den ei-lebendgebärenden (ovovivipar) Schlangen. Die Trächtigkeit dauert etwa 90 Tage. In den Monaten August und September schlüpfen bis zu 17 Jungschlangen, die eine Geburtslänge von 20 bis 25 cm haben. Kurz nach der Geburt häuten sie sich zum ersten Mal.
Neben der sexuellen Fortpflanzung ist für den nordamerikanischen Kupferkopf, sowohl in der Gefangenschaft als auch in der Wildbahn, die fakultative Parthenogenese nachgewiesen. Dabei entstehen aus unbefruchteten Keimzellen des Weibchens lebensfähige Nachkommen.[1]
Das Gift des nordamerikanischen Kupferkopfes, ein Hämotoxin mittlerer Stärke, ist zwar sehr schmerzhaft, aber in der Regel für einen Erwachsenen nicht tödlich. Die Symptome reichen von lokalen Schmerzen über Übelkeit bis zum Erbrechen.
Wegen seiner Giftigkeit wird der Kupferkopf in den Appalachen für das Ritual des Schlangenanfassens verwendet, das einige wenige amerikanische Pfingstgemeinden praktizieren.
Im Sezessionskrieg wurden die sog. Friedens-Demokraten, welche für einen "Frieden ohne Sieg" und Verhandlungen mit den Südstaaten eintraten, als "Copperheads" (Kupferköpfe) bezeichnet. Das hatte freilich nur bedingt mit der Giftschlange zu tun; diverse Quellen leiten den Namen von den alten Kupfer-Centmünzen ab, welche die Copperheads als Anstecknadel trugen.
Der nordamerikanische Kupferkopf (Agkistrodon contortrix) gehört mit seinen fünf Unterarten innerhalb der Familie der Vipern (Viperidae) zur Gattung der Dreieckskopfottern (Agkistrodon).
A'kêstséahe (Agkistrodon contortrix) Sé'šenovôtse-éve. É-e'e'átamáno'e.
The eastern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix),[3] also known simply as the copperhead, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper, endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae.
The eastern copperhead has distinctive, dark brown, hourglass-shaped markings, overlaid on a light reddish brown or brown/gray background. The body type is heavy, rather than slender. Neonates are born with green or yellow tail tips, which progress to a darker brown or black within one year. Adults grow to a typical length (including tail) of 50–95 cm (20–37 in).
In most of North America, it favors deciduous forest and mixed woodlands. It may occupy rock outcroppings and ledges, but is also found in low-lying, swampy regions. During the winter, it hibernates in dens or limestone crevices, often together with timber rattlesnakes and black rat snakes.[4] The eastern copperhead is known to feed on a wide variety of prey, including invertebrates (primarily arthropods) and vertebrates. Like most pit vipers, the eastern copperhead is generally an ambush predator; it takes up a promising position and waits for suitable prey to arrive.
As a common species within its range, it may be encountered by humans. Unlike other viperids, they often "freeze" instead of slithering away, due to its habit of relying on excellent camouflage, rather than fleeing.[5] Bites occur due to people unknowingly stepping on or near them.[6] Copperhead bites account for half of the treated snake bites in the United States.[7]
Five subspecies have been recognized in the past,[8] but recent genetic analysis had yielded new species information.
Its generic name is derived from the Greek words ankistron "hook, fishhook" and odon, variant of odous "tooth".[9][10] The trivial name, or specific epithet, comes from the Latin contortus (twisted, intricate, complex), which is usually interpreted to reference the distorted pattern of darker bands across the snake's back, which are broad at the lateral base, but "pinched" into narrow hourglass shapes in the middle at the vertebral area.[11][12]
Adults grow to a typical length (including tail) of 50–95 cm (20–37 in). Some may exceed 1 m (3 ft 3 in), although that is exceptional for this species.[13] Males do not typically exceed 74 to 76 cm (29 to 30 in) and weigh from 101.5 to 343 g (3+9⁄16 to 12+1⁄8 oz), with a mean of roughly 197.4 g (6+15⁄16 oz).[14] Females do not typically exceed 60 to 66 cm (23+1⁄2 to 26 in),[15][16] and have a mean body mass of 119.8 g (4+7⁄32 oz).[17] The maximum length reported for this species is 134.6 cm (53 in) for A. c. mokasen (Ditmars, 1931). Brimley (1944) mentions a specimen of A. c. mokasen from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that was "four feet, six inches" (137.2 cm), but this may have been an approximation. The maximum length for A. c. contortrix is 132.1 cm (52 in) (Conant, 1958).[11]
The body is relatively stout and the head is broad and distinct from the neck. Because the snout slopes down and back, it appears less blunt than that of the cottonmouth, A. piscivorus. Consequently, the top of the head extends further forward than the mouth.[18]
The escalation includes 21–25 (usually 23) rows of dorsal scales at midbody, 138–157 ventral scales in both sexes, and 38–62 and 37–57 subcaudal scales in males and females, respectively. The subcaudals are usually single, but the percentage thereof decreases clinally from the northeast, where about 80% are undivided, to the southwest of the geographic range where as little as 50% may be undivided. On the head are usually 9 large symmetrical plates, 6–10 (usually 8) supralabial scales, and 8–13 (usually 10) sublabial scales.[11]
The color pattern consists of a pale tan to pinkish-tan ground color that becomes darker towards the foreline, overlaid with a series of 10–18 (13.4) crossbands. Characteristically, both the ground color and crossband pattern are pale in A. c. contortrix. These crossbands are light tan to pinkish-tan to pale brown in the center, but darker towards the edges. They are about two scales wide or less at the midline of the back, but expand to a width of 6–10 scales on the sides of the body. They do not extend down to the ventral scales. Often, the crossbands are divided at the midline and alternate on either side of the body, with some individuals even having more half bands than complete ones. A series of dark brown spots is also present on the flanks, next to the belly, and are largest and darkest in the spaces between the crossbands.
The belly is the same color as the ground color, but may be a little whitish in part. At the base of the tail are one to three (usually two) brown crossbands followed by a gray area. In juveniles, the pattern on the tail is more distinct: 7–9 crossbands are visible, while the tip is yellow. On the head, the crown is usually unmarked, except for a pair of small dark spots, one near the midline of each parietal scale. A faint postocular stripe is also present; diffuse above and bordered below by a narrow brown edge.[18]
Several aberrant color patterns for A. c. contortrix, or populations that intergrade with it, have also been reported. In a specimen described by Livezey (1949) from Walker County, Texas, 11 of 17 crossbands were not joined middorsally, while on one side, three of the crossbands were fused together longitudinally to form a continuous, undulating band, surmounted above by a dark stripe that was 2.0–2.5 scales wide.
In another specimen, from Lowndes County, Alabama, the first three crossbands were complete, followed by a dark stripe that ran down either side of the body, with points of pigment reaching up to the midline in six places, but never getting there, after which the last four crossbands on the tail were also complete. A specimen found in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, by Ernest A. Liner, had a similar striped pattern, with only the first and last two crossbands being normal.[18]
The eastern copperhead is found in North America; its range within the United States is in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. In Mexico, it occurs in Chihuahua and Coahuila. The type locality is "Carolina". Schmidt (1953) proposed the type locality be restricted to "Charleston, South Carolina".[2]
Unlike some other species of North American pit vipers, such as the timber rattlesnake and massasauga, the copperhead has mostly not re-established itself north of the terminal moraine after the last glacial period (the Wisconsin glaciation),[19] though it is found in southeastern New York and southern New England, north of the Wisconsin glaciation terminal moraine on Long Island.
Within its range, it occupies a variety of different habitats. In most of North America, it favors deciduous forest and mixed woodlands. It is often associated with rock outcroppings and ledges, but is also found in low-lying, swampy regions. During the winter, it hibernates in dens or limestone crevices, often together with timber rattlesnakes and black rat snakes.[4] In the states around the Gulf of Mexico, however, this species is also found in coniferous forest. In the Chihuahuan Desert of West Texas and northern Mexico, it occurs in riparian habitats, usually near permanent or semipermanent water and sometimes in dry arroyos (brooks).[11]
This species is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001).[1] This means that relative to many other species, it is not at risk of extinction in the near future. The population trend was stable when assessed in 2007.[20]
In the Southern United States, copperheads are nocturnal during the hot summer, but are commonly active during the day during the spring and fall. Unlike other viperids, they often "freeze" instead of slithering away, and as a result, many bites occur due to people unknowingly stepping on or near them.[6] This tendency to freeze most likely evolved because of the extreme effectiveness of their camouflage. When lying on dead leaves or red clay, they can be almost impossible to notice. They frequently stay still even when approached closely, and generally strike only if physical contact is made. Like most other New World vipers, copperheads exhibit defensive tail vibration behavior when closely approached. This species is capable of vibrating its tail in excess of 40 times per second— faster than almost any other nonrattlesnake snake species.[5]
The eastern copperhead is a diet generalist and is known to feed on a wide variety of prey, including invertebrates (primarily arthropods) and vertebrates. A generalized ontogenetic shift in the diet occurs, with juveniles feeding on higher percentages of invertebrates and ectotherms, and adults feeding on a higher percentage vertebrate endotherms. Both juveniles and adults, though, feed on invertebrates and vertebrates opportunistically. The diet is also known to vary among geographic populations.[18]: 128–130 p. [11]: 254–255 p. [21]: 181–184 p.
Studies conducted at various locations within the range of the eastern copperhead (A. contortrix), including Tennessee,[22] Kentucky,[23] Kansas,[24] and Texas,[25] identified some consistently significant prey items included cicadas (Tibicen), caterpillars (Lepidoptera), lizards (Sceloporus and Scincella), voles (Microtus), and mice (Peromyscus). Accounts of finding large numbers of copperheads in bushes, vines, and trees seeking newly emerged cicadas, some as high as 40 feet above ground, have been reported from Texas by various herpetologists.[18]: 130 p. [26][27]: 347–348 p.
Other items documented in the diet include various invertebrates, e.g. millipedes (Diplopoda), spiders (Arachnida), beetles (Coleoptera), dragonflies (Odonata), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), and mantids (Mantidae), as well as numerous species of vertebrates, including salamanders, frogs, lizards, snakes, small turtles, small birds, young opossums, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, bats, shrews, moles, rats, and mice.[11]: 254–255 p. [21]: 181–184 p.
Like most pit vipers, the eastern copperhead is generally an ambush predator; it takes up a promising position and waits for suitable prey to arrive. One exception to ambush foraging occurs when copperheads feed on insects such as caterpillars and freshly molted cicadas. When hunting insects, copperheads actively pursue their prey.[28] Juveniles use a brightly colored tail to attract frogs and perhaps lizards, a behavior termed caudal luring (see video: [1]). Sight, odor, and heat detection are used in locating prey, although after the prey has been envenomated, odor and taste become the primary means of tracking. Smaller prey items and birds are often seized and held in the mouth until dead, while larger prey items are typically bitten, released, and then tracked until dead. Copperheads occasionally feed on carrion. Gravid females typically fast, although some individuals occasionally take small volumes of food.[11]: 254–255 p. [21]: 181–184 p. An individual may eat up to twice its body mass in a year. One study found an individual that ate eight times during an annual activity period, totaling 1.25 times its body mass.[29]
Eastern copperheads breed in late summer, but not every year; sometimes, females produce young for several years running, then do not breed at all for a time. They give birth to live young, each of which is about 20 cm (8 in) in total length. The typical litter size is four to seven, but as few as one, or as many as 20 may be seen. Their size apart, the young are similar to the adults, but lighter in color, and with a yellowish-green-marked tip to the tail, which is used to lure lizards and frogs.
A. contortrix males have longer tongue tie lengths than females during the breeding season, which may aid in chemoreception of males searching for females.[30]
Parthenogenesis is a natural form of reproduction in which growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization. A. contortrix can reproduce by facultative parthenogenesis, that is, they are capable of switching from a sexual mode of reproduction to an asexual mode.[31] The type of parthenogenesis that likely occurs is automixis with terminal fusion, a process in which two terminal products from the same meiosis fuse to form a diploid zygote. This process leads to genome-wide homozygosity, expression of deleterious recessive alleles, and often to developmental failure (inbreeding depression). Both captive-born and wild-born A. contortrix snakes appear to be capable of this form of parthenogenesis.[31]
Although venomous, eastern copperheads are generally not aggressive and bites are rarely fatal.[32] Copperhead venom has an estimated lethal dose around 100 mg, and tests on mice show its potency is among the lowest of all pit vipers, and slightly weaker than that of its close relative, the cottonmouth.[33] Copperheads often employ a "warning bite" when stepped on or agitated and inject a relatively small amount of venom, if any at all. "Dry bites" involving no venom are particularly common with the copperhead, though all pit vipers are capable of a dry bite.[34] Pit vipers that are dead are still dangerous and capable of producing venom in amounts that necessitate the use of antivenom.[35]
Bite symptoms include extreme pain, tingling, throbbing, swelling, and severe nausea. Damage can occur to muscle and bone tissue, especially when the bite occurs in the outer extremities such as the hands and feet, areas in which a large muscle mass is not available to absorb the venom. A bite from any venomous snake should be taken very seriously and immediate medical attention sought, as an allergic reaction and secondary infection are always possible.[36]
The venom of the southern copperhead has been found to hold a protein called "contortrostatin" that halts the growth of cancer cells in mice and also stops the migration of the tumors to other sites.[37] However, this is an animal model, and further testing is required to verify safety and efficacy in humans.[38]
The antivenom CroFab is used to treat copperhead envenomations that demonstrate localized or systemic reactions to the venom. As many copperhead bites can be dry (no envenomation), CroFab is not given in the absence of a reaction (such as swelling) due to the risk of complications of an allergic reaction to the treatment.[39] The antivenom can cause an immune reaction called serum sickness. Pain management, tetanus immunization, laboratory evaluation, and medical supervision in the case of complications are additional courses of action.[40] In 2002, an Illinois poison control center report on the availability of antivenom stated it used 1 Acp to 5 Acp depending on the symptoms and circumstances. Antivenom use however may not be necessary in the majority of cases, A study that analyzed 88 copperhead bite victims reported that all the victims survived and none required antivenom.[41]
This species was long considered to contain five subspecies listed below, but gene analysis suggests that A. c. laticinctus represents its own distinct species, while A. c. mokasen and A. c. phaeogaster are regional variants of A. c. contortrix, and A. c. pictigaster is a regional variant of A. c. laticinctus.[42]
Five subspecies have been recognized in the past,[8] but recent genetic analysis shows that A c. contorix and two of the subspecies are monotypic, while Agkistrodon laticinctus (formerly Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus) and the fifth subspecies are a single distinct species.
Previous taxonomy[8][18] Current taxonomy[42] Geographic range[42] Southern copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix contortrix
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Eastern copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix
(Linnaeus, 1766)
The United States: east Texas, east Oklahoma, extreme eastern Kansas, and extreme southeastern Nebraska, eastward to the Atlantic coast; north to extreme southeast Iowa, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, southern Ohio, Pennsylvania, southeast New York, Massachusetts, and parts of Connecticut; absent from southern Georgia and the Florida Peninsula. Broad-banded copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix laticinctus
Broad-banded copperhead In the United States from eastern Kansas, southwest through central Oklahoma, central and Trans-Pecos, Texas and neighboring areas of northern Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico. Northern copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix mokasen
Palisot de Beauvois, 1799
Eastern copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix
The United States, in southern Illinois, extreme northeastern Mississippi, northern Alabama, northern Georgia northeast to Massachusetts, the Appalachian Mountain region and associated plateaus Osage copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster
Gloyd, 1969
Eastern copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix
The United States, in eastern Kansas, extreme southeastern Nebraska and a large part of Missouri Trans-Pecos copperheadAgkistrodon contortrix pictigaster
Gloyd & Conant, 1943
Broad-banded copperhead The Trans-Pecos region of western Texas and adjacent areas of northern Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico.Eastern copperhead, A. contortrix, at the southern limit of its range, in Liberty Co., Florida, camouflaged in dead leaves.
Eastern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) from Liberty Co., Texas (30 March 2007).
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) {{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) The eastern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), also known simply as the copperhead, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper, endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae.
The eastern copperhead has distinctive, dark brown, hourglass-shaped markings, overlaid on a light reddish brown or brown/gray background. The body type is heavy, rather than slender. Neonates are born with green or yellow tail tips, which progress to a darker brown or black within one year. Adults grow to a typical length (including tail) of 50–95 cm (20–37 in).
In most of North America, it favors deciduous forest and mixed woodlands. It may occupy rock outcroppings and ledges, but is also found in low-lying, swampy regions. During the winter, it hibernates in dens or limestone crevices, often together with timber rattlesnakes and black rat snakes. The eastern copperhead is known to feed on a wide variety of prey, including invertebrates (primarily arthropods) and vertebrates. Like most pit vipers, the eastern copperhead is generally an ambush predator; it takes up a promising position and waits for suitable prey to arrive.
As a common species within its range, it may be encountered by humans. Unlike other viperids, they often "freeze" instead of slithering away, due to its habit of relying on excellent camouflage, rather than fleeing. Bites occur due to people unknowingly stepping on or near them. Copperhead bites account for half of the treated snake bites in the United States.
Five subspecies have been recognized in the past, but recent genetic analysis had yielded new species information.
La serpiente cabeza de cobre (Agkistrodon contortrix) es una especie de reptil venenoso de la familia Viperidae y subfamilia Crotalinae. Habita en Estados Unidos y México.
La serpiente cabeza de cobre (Agkistrodon contortrix) es una especie de reptil venenoso de la familia Viperidae y subfamilia Crotalinae. Habita en Estados Unidos y México.
Agkistrodon contortrix Agkistrodon generoko animalia da. Narrastien barruko Viperidae familian sailkatuta dago.
Agkistrodon contortrix Agkistrodon generoko animalia da. Narrastien barruko Viperidae familian sailkatuta dago.
Mocassin à tête cuivrée, Serpent cuivré
Agkistrodon contortrix, appelé communément Mocassin à tête cuivrée ou Serpent cuivré (en Louisiane), est une espèce de serpents de la famille des Viperidae[1].
Ce reptile se rencontre dans une large partie de l'est des États-Unis, presque jusqu'à la frontière nord et jusqu'aux côtes est et sud à l'exception de la Floride, ainsi que dans l'extrême-nord du Mexique. C'est un serpent atteignant en général de 76 cm chez les mâles pour un poids de 343 g, et de 66 cm chez les femelles pour un poids de 119,8 g en moyenne, bien qu'il existe un record de 134,6 cm. Il est de coloration bronze ou rosée, avec de 10 à 18 bandes transversales plus sombres, s'évasant du dos vers les flancs, et parfois décalées entre elles entre les deux côtés. Son ventre et sa tête sont de la même couleur − un peu plus clair pour le ventre − et il présente une bande plus claire sous l'œil. Toutefois il existe une grande variabilité de couleurs et de motifs et des individus présentant des formes atypiques ne sont pas rares.
De comportement diurne, il peut devenir nocturne durant la saison chaude. Il chasse principalement de petits rongeurs mais peut aussi consommer des insectes, des lézards et des amphibiens, surtout lorsqu'il est jeune. Il chasse principalement en embuscade même s'il a tendance à poursuivre les insectes à l'odorat. Vivipare, cette espèce donne naissance en général à 4 à 7 petits mesurant environ 20 cm, qui sont autonomes et capables d'injecter du venin dès leur naissance. Les femelles, en l'absence de mâle, peuvent devenir parthénogéniques et donner naissance à des mâles sans fécondation. L'espèce n'est pas considérée comme menacée mais elle est la proie de divers animaux − surtout les jeunes − dont certains sont immunisés contre son venin, considéré comme relativement peu actif par rapport aux autres serpents venimeux d'Amérique du Nord.
Agkistrodon contortrix atteint une longueur moyenne (queue incluse) de 95 cm. Certains individus peuvent dépasser 1 m mais c'est exceptionnel[2], le record étant de 134,6 cm[3]. Les mâles sont plus grands que les femelles, avec en général une longueur inférieure à 76 cm chez les mâles et à 66 cm chez les femelles[4],[5]. Leur masse varie généralement entre 343 g pour les mâles[6] et est en moyenne de 119,8 g pour les femelles[7].
Le corps est relativement épais, et la tête est large et bien distincte du cou, assez triangulaire et au museau arrondi. Ce serpent a la particularité d'avoir le haut du museau qui avance plus loin que la bouche[8]. La tête présente également sur le dessus une large série d'écailles de grande taille.
Ce serpent a une couleur de base bronze ou bronze-rosé avec de 10 à 18 bandes transversales. Ces bandes peuvent être bronze clair, rosées ou brun très clair mais devenant plus foncées sur les bords. Fines sur le dos (environ 2 écailles de large) ces bandes s'élargissent sur les côtés pour atteindre 6 à 10 écailles de large, se touchant presque les unes les autres, et s'arrêtent avant la face ventrale, qui est de la même couleur que la couleur de base mais souvent un peu plus claire. Parfois ces bandes sont décalées longitudinalement entre les deux côtés de l'animal. Une série de points sombres est aussi généralement présente sur les côtés. La queue comporte d'une à trois bandes sombres et elle se termine par une couleur unie, gris-noir. La tête est en général de la même couleur de base que le reste du corps, avec une bande plus claire partant du museau et passant sous les yeux[8].
Chez les juvéniles les motifs de la queue sont nettement plus marqués, avec de 7 à 9 bandes bien visibles, alors que le bout de la queue est jaune[8]. Il existe toutefois une assez grande variabilité au sein de cette espèce et des individus atypiques ne sont pas rares. Des spécimens ont ainsi été décrits avec des bandes qui ne se joignent pas sur le dos, ou des bandes fusionnées longitudinalement, formant ainsi une bande ondulée continue. D'autres ont des bandes constituées de points sombres et ne rejoignant pas le dos[8].
Ce serpent a de 21 à 25 rangées d'écailles le long du dos à mi-corps (en général 23), de 138 à 157 écailles ventrales, et de 38 à 62 et 37 à 57 écailles subcaudales respectivement pour les mâles et pour les femelles. Sur la tête il y a en général 9 grandes plaques symétriques, de 6 à 10 écailles supralabiales (en général 8) et de 8 à 13 écailles sublabiales (en général 10)[9].
Individu presque mélanique.
Cette espèce se rencontre principalement aux États-Unis et dans l'extrême Nord du Mexique[1]. Aux États-Unis il vit dans une large moitié est du pays, remontant assez haut, et jusqu'au sud à l'exception notable de la Floride, ce qui couvre les États de l'Alabama, de l'Arkansas, du Connecticut, du Delaware, de Floride, de Géorgie, de l'Illinois, de l'Indiana, de l'Iowa, du Kansas, du Kentucky, de la Louisiane, de l'Ohio, de l'Oklahoma, du Massachusetts, du Mississippi, du Missouri, du Nebraska, du New Jersey, de New York, de Caroline du Nord, de Pennsylvanie, de Caroline du Sud, du Tennessee, du Texas, de la Virginie et de la Virginie-Occidentale.
Au Mexique il se rencontre dans le nord des États de Coahuila et Chihuahua[10].
Contrairement à d'autres espèces de Viperidae d'Amérique du Nord − comme Crotalus horridus ou Sistrurus catenatus − ce serpent n'a pas ré-étendu sa répartition géographique lors du recul des glaciers à la fin de la dernière période glaciaire[11], à part dans le sud de la Nouvelle-Angleterre et dans le sud-est de l'État de New York.
Ce serpent chasse plutôt en embuscade, et se camoufle en attendant le passage d'une proie. Toutefois lorsqu'il chasse des insectes (principalement les jeunes) il va plutôt les poursuivre[12].
Bien que diurnes la plupart du temps ils deviennent nocturnes durant les mois les plus chauds de l'été.
Comme la plupart des Viperidae cette espèce préfère s'enfuir lorsqu'elle est dérangée. Toutefois elle peut aussi rester immobile et la plupart des morsures ont lieu avec des animaux immobiles trop approchés par des humains[13], attitude probablement liée à leur excellent camouflage − l'immobilité étant alors efficace.
Agkistrodon contortrix se nourrit principalement de petits rongeurs (souris, campagnols) qui représentent 90 % de son alimentation, mais consomme également de gros insectes et des grenouilles. Bien que principalement terrestre il n'hésite pas à grimper dans les arbres pour se nourrir de cigales.
Agkistrodon contortrix est une espèce vivipare[1]. La reproduction a lieu à la fin de l'été, mais de façon irrégulière : une femelle peut se reproduire plusieurs années de suite puis ne pas donner naissance durant un an ou deux. Les mâles cherchent une compagne en détectant les phéromones avec leur langue − plus longue que celle des femelles. Ils peuvent se battre contre d'autres mâles dans des combats d'intimidation pour l'accès aux femelles. Le mâle tente ensuite de séduire sa partenaire et s'enroule autour d'elle. La femelle réceptive soulève sa queue pour donner accès à son cloaque en signe de réceptivité. Les femelles peuvent s'accoupler avec plusieurs mâles, donnant naissance à des petits issus de paternités multiples. Si elle n'accepte pas le mâle elle bouge sa queue et se déplace en permanence pour signaler son désaccord[14].
Une femelle a généralement une portée de 4 à 7 petits, mais des extrêmes allant de 1 à 20 petits sont possibles. Les nouveau-nés mesurent environ 20 cm et sont semblables aux adultes, avec une couleur plus claire et le bout de la queue jaune, qu'ils utilisent comme appât pour attirer les lézards et les grenouilles[14].
Les juvéniles peuvent injecter du venin dès la naissance, en même quantité (toute proportion gardée par rapport à leur taille) que les adultes[14].
Bien que leur reproduction soit sexuée, les femelles, en l'absence de mâle, peuvent adopter une reproduction parthénogénique, produisant des mâles. Ce mécanisme, constaté en captivité, ne semble pas être lié à cet état et relever plutôt d'une stratégie biologique[14].
Bien que venimeuse, cette espèce ne semble pas particulièrement agressive et les morsures sont rares. Les symptômes d'une morsure comprennent une très forte douleur, des élancements, un gonflement des zones touchées ainsi que de fortes nausées et une détresse respiratoire. Le venin peut endommager les muscles et le tissu osseux, en particulier lors d'une morsure à un membre, où la masse musculaire capable d'absorber le venin est moindre.
Même si en théorie les antivenins sont efficaces contre les morsures d'Agkistrodon contortrix ils ne sont généralement pas utilisés car les risques de complications allergiques sont plus élevés que les risques liés au venin[15].
Le venin de ce serpent contient une protéine nommée « contortrostatine » qui semble arrêter la croissance des cellules cancéreuses ainsi que la migration des tumeurs[16] mais ceci n'a été testé que chez la souris[17].
Selon Reptarium Reptile Database (29 octobre 2015)[18] les sous-espèces suivantes sont reconnues :
L'espèce est classée en « Préoccupation mineure » (LC) sur la liste rouge de l'UICN[19]. Ce classement indique que sa répartition est assez grande, que sa population assez nombreuse et/ou qu'elle ne va pas décliner dans les années à venir. Sa population était considérée comme stable par l'UICN en 2007 lors de la dernière évaluation effectuée[19].
Cette espèce est la proie de différents prédateurs − en particulier les jeunes − comme certains serpents du genre Lampropeltis, les alligators, corbeaux, faucons, opposums, coyotes… Comptant sur son camouflage elle n'hésite toutefois pas à mordre pour se défendre, bien que les Lampropeltis et les opossums semblent être immunisés contre leur venin[14].
Cette espèce a été décrite par Carl von Linné en 1766 sous le nom de Boa contortrix. Elle a ensuite été placée dans le genre Agkistrodon par Spencer Fullerton Baird et Charles Frédéric Girard en 1853. Les différentes sous-espèces ont été décrites dans la première moitié des années 1900, à part A. c. mokasen décrite par Ambroise Marie François Joseph Palisot de Beauvois en 1799, qui avait décrit l'espèce Agkistrodon mokasen (depuis synonyme) et a créé le genre[1].
Mocassin à tête cuivrée, Serpent cuivré
Agkistrodon contortrix, appelé communément Mocassin à tête cuivrée ou Serpent cuivré (en Louisiane), est une espèce de serpents de la famille des Viperidae.
Ce reptile se rencontre dans une large partie de l'est des États-Unis, presque jusqu'à la frontière nord et jusqu'aux côtes est et sud à l'exception de la Floride, ainsi que dans l'extrême-nord du Mexique. C'est un serpent atteignant en général de 74 à 76 cm chez les mâles pour un poids de 101,5 à 343 g, et de 60 à 66 cm chez les femelles pour un poids de 119,8 g en moyenne, bien qu'il existe un record de 134,6 cm. Il est de coloration bronze ou rosée, avec de 10 à 18 bandes transversales plus sombres, s'évasant du dos vers les flancs, et parfois décalées entre elles entre les deux côtés. Son ventre et sa tête sont de la même couleur − un peu plus clair pour le ventre − et il présente une bande plus claire sous l'œil. Toutefois il existe une grande variabilité de couleurs et de motifs et des individus présentant des formes atypiques ne sont pas rares.
De comportement diurne, il peut devenir nocturne durant la saison chaude. Il chasse principalement de petits rongeurs mais peut aussi consommer des insectes, des lézards et des amphibiens, surtout lorsqu'il est jeune. Il chasse principalement en embuscade même s'il a tendance à poursuivre les insectes à l'odorat. Vivipare, cette espèce donne naissance en général à 4 à 7 petits mesurant environ 20 cm, qui sont autonomes et capables d'injecter du venin dès leur naissance. Les femelles, en l'absence de mâle, peuvent devenir parthénogéniques et donner naissance à des mâles sans fécondation. L'espèce n'est pas considérée comme menacée mais elle est la proie de divers animaux − surtout les jeunes − dont certains sont immunisés contre son venin, considéré comme relativement peu actif par rapport aux autres serpents venimeux d'Amérique du Nord.
Nathair bhéaldearg atá dúchasach d'oirdheisceart na Stát Aontaithe. Barr an chinn scothdhearg/donn. Baineann sí greim as níos mó daoine ná aon nathair nimhiúil eile, ach is nimh lag a bhíonn aici agus is annamh a fhaigheann duine bás aisti.
Il testa di rame (Agkistrodon contortrix (Linnaeus, 1766)) è un serpente velenoso della famiglia dei Viperidi (sottofamiglia Crotalinae), diffuso nella parte orientale del Nordamerica.[1]
Di una lunghezza compresa tra gli ottanta centimetri e il metro e venticinque, questo serpente ha un corpo color rame, bronzo, marrone o addirittura sfumato di rosa, e sono presenti anche bande scure che vanno a formare un disegno particolare. La punta della coda, invece, è giallo tenue. Le zanne velenifere, come quelle di tutti i crotali, sono tenute normalmente ripiegate e vengono estroflesse solo quando il serpente spalanca la bocca.
Il testa di rame nidifica in tarda estate, ma non ogni anno. La femmina dà alla luce piccoli lunghi una ventina di centimetri, in un numero compreso di solito tra cinque e sette esemplari; può capitare, tuttavia, che ne possa partorire fino a venti. Il colore dei piccoli è più chiaro di quello degli adulti; il colore della punta della loro coda è giallo vivo, in modo da attirare lucertole e rane.
Come il mocassino acquatico, anche il testa di rame preda piccoli animali, sia sulla terraferma che in acqua. Il suo veleno è un emotossico che colpisce cuore e sistema circolatorio delle vittime. È potenzialmente pericoloso per l'uomo. Anche se velenosi, questi serpenti non sembrano essere aggressivi e il loro morso non è quasi mai mortale. Sintomi da morso di testa di rame includono dolori acuti, gonfiori, formicolii e forti nausee. Può capitare che vengano danneggiati i tessuti, in particolare se ad essere morsi sono stati gli arti.
Il testa di rame (Agkistrodon contortrix (Linnaeus, 1766)) è un serpente velenoso della famiglia dei Viperidi (sottofamiglia Crotalinae), diffuso nella parte orientale del Nordamerica.
Variagalvis skydasnukis (lot. Agkistrodon contortrix, angl. American copperhead, vok. Nordamerikanischer Kupferkopf) – skydasnukių (Agkistrodon) genties roplys, priklausantis angių (Viperidae) šeimai, duobagalvių angių (Crotalinae) pošeimiui. Tai nuodingas roplys, paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikos centrinėje ir pietrytinėje dalyje. Ilgis 60-100 cm. Išmargintas didelėmis kaštono rudumo juostomis. Gyvavedis. Patelė kas antrus metus atveda iki 15 jauniklių.
Minta varlėmis, driežais, graužikais, kurių tyko pasislėpęs tarp nukritusių lapų ar akmenų. Savo auką tamsoje aptinka tarp akių ir šnervių esančiais termolokatoriais. Pavasarį ir rudenį dienomis šildose saulėje.
Žinomi 5 porūšiai.
Variagalvis skydasnukis (lot. Agkistrodon contortrix, angl. American copperhead, vok. Nordamerikanischer Kupferkopf) – skydasnukių (Agkistrodon) genties roplys, priklausantis angių (Viperidae) šeimai, duobagalvių angių (Crotalinae) pošeimiui. Tai nuodingas roplys, paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikos centrinėje ir pietrytinėje dalyje. Ilgis 60-100 cm. Išmargintas didelėmis kaštono rudumo juostomis. Gyvavedis. Patelė kas antrus metus atveda iki 15 jauniklių.
Minta varlėmis, driežais, graužikais, kurių tyko pasislėpęs tarp nukritusių lapų ar akmenų. Savo auką tamsoje aptinka tarp akių ir šnervių esančiais termolokatoriais. Pavasarį ir rudenį dienomis šildose saulėje.
Žinomi 5 porūšiai.
Agkistrodon contortrix ialah satu spesies ular berbisa yang endemik di Amerika Utara dan menganggotai keluarga Crotalinae. Kini telah dikenalpastinya lima subspesies.[2]
Agkistrodon contortrix ialah satu spesies ular berbisa yang endemik di Amerika Utara dan menganggotai keluarga Crotalinae. Kini telah dikenalpastinya lima subspesies.
Mokasyn miedziogłowiec (Agkistrodon contortrix) – gatunek jadowitego węża z podrodziny grzechotnikowatych w rodzinie żmijowatych.
W gatunku tym wyróżniamy 5 podgatunków[1]:
Jest dość dużym wężem osiągającym długość do 1 metra[3]. Grzbiet ma w kolorze żółtawobrązowym lub czerwonawym z poprzecznymi czerwonobrunatnymi pręgami zwężającymi się na środku grzbietu. Grzbiet głowy barwy czerwono-miedzianej. Jak wszystkie mokasyny nie posiada grzechotki.
Wąż ten zamieszkuje różne tereny. Można go spotkać na terenach podmokłych, wzdłuż rzek. Zasiedlają także lasy liściaste, łąki, pola uprawne. Występują również na terenach kamienistych i górskich wraz z innymi gatunkami grzechotników.
Pożywieniem dla tych węży są drobne gryzonie, owady i ich gąsienice. Są jajożyworodne. Samica rodzi pod koniec lata 5-6 młodych[3]. Samice mogą rozmnażać się partenogenetycznie; występuje u nich partenogeneza fakultatywna[4].
Występuje na terenie Ameryki Północnej.
Mokasyn miedziogłowiec (Agkistrodon contortrix) – gatunek jadowitego węża z podrodziny grzechotnikowatych w rodzinie żmijowatych.
W gatunku tym wyróżniamy 5 podgatunków:
Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix (Linnaeus, 1766) Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus (Gloyd and Conant, 1934) Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen (Palisot de Beauvois, 1799) Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster (Gloyd, 1969) Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster (Gloyd and Conant, 1943)Jest dość dużym wężem osiągającym długość do 1 metra. Grzbiet ma w kolorze żółtawobrązowym lub czerwonawym z poprzecznymi czerwonobrunatnymi pręgami zwężającymi się na środku grzbietu. Grzbiet głowy barwy czerwono-miedzianej. Jak wszystkie mokasyny nie posiada grzechotki.
Wąż ten zamieszkuje różne tereny. Można go spotkać na terenach podmokłych, wzdłuż rzek. Zasiedlają także lasy liściaste, łąki, pola uprawne. Występują również na terenach kamienistych i górskich wraz z innymi gatunkami grzechotników.
Pożywieniem dla tych węży są drobne gryzonie, owady i ich gąsienice. Są jajożyworodne. Samica rodzi pod koniec lata 5-6 młodych. Samice mogą rozmnażać się partenogenetycznie; występuje u nich partenogeneza fakultatywna.
Występuje na terenie Ameryki Północnej.
Agkistrodon contortrix ou serpente-mocassim-cabeça-de-cobre é uma espécie de víbora do género Agkistrodon. Habita o leste dos Estados Unidos quase até aos Grandes Lagos e com a exceção da Flórida, e ainda uma pequena região no norte do México, nos estados de Coahuila e Chihuahua[1].
Tem normalmente comprimento entre 80 cm e 90 cm, mas pode ir dos 50 cm aos 120 cm (o maior espécimen conhecido tinha 134,8 cm[2]), e um corpo de 10 a 18 faixas de cor castanha, branca e bronze, com laivos de rosa e apresenta bandas escuras que fazem desenhos particulares. A ponta da cauda, por vezes, é amarelo ténue. As presas venenosas, como as das restantes serpentes da subfamília Crotalinae, são mantidas normalmente recolhidas e são extrudidas apenas quando a serpente abre a boca para atacar.
O seu veneno é tóxico e ataca o sistema circulatório das vítimas. É potencialmente perigoso para o homem, mas raramente mortal.
De comportamento diurno, pode tornar-se noturno durante a época de calor. Caça principalmente pequenos roedores mas também pode comer insetos, pequenos répteis e anfíbios, sobretudo quando é jovem. Caça principalmente de emboscada mesmo quando tem tendência para perseguir insetos pelo olfato. Vivípara, esta espécie gera de 4 a 7 juvenis de cada postura. Estes juvenis medem cerca de 20 cm, são autónomos e capazes de inocular peçonha logo após o nascimento. As fêmeas, na ausência de machos, podem tornar-se partenogénicas e gerar machos sem fecundação. A espécie não é considerada ameaçada mas é presa de vários animais, sobretudo enquanto jovem, alguns dos quais são imunes à sua peçonha, considerado pouco ativo quando em comparação com outras espécies da América do Norte.
Agkistrodon contortrix ou serpente-mocassim-cabeça-de-cobre é uma espécie de víbora do género Agkistrodon. Habita o leste dos Estados Unidos quase até aos Grandes Lagos e com a exceção da Flórida, e ainda uma pequena região no norte do México, nos estados de Coahuila e Chihuahua.
Tem normalmente comprimento entre 80 cm e 90 cm, mas pode ir dos 50 cm aos 120 cm (o maior espécimen conhecido tinha 134,8 cm), e um corpo de 10 a 18 faixas de cor castanha, branca e bronze, com laivos de rosa e apresenta bandas escuras que fazem desenhos particulares. A ponta da cauda, por vezes, é amarelo ténue. As presas venenosas, como as das restantes serpentes da subfamília Crotalinae, são mantidas normalmente recolhidas e são extrudidas apenas quando a serpente abre a boca para atacar.
O seu veneno é tóxico e ataca o sistema circulatório das vítimas. É potencialmente perigoso para o homem, mas raramente mortal.
De comportamento diurno, pode tornar-se noturno durante a época de calor. Caça principalmente pequenos roedores mas também pode comer insetos, pequenos répteis e anfíbios, sobretudo quando é jovem. Caça principalmente de emboscada mesmo quando tem tendência para perseguir insetos pelo olfato. Vivípara, esta espécie gera de 4 a 7 juvenis de cada postura. Estes juvenis medem cerca de 20 cm, são autónomos e capazes de inocular peçonha logo após o nascimento. As fêmeas, na ausência de machos, podem tornar-se partenogénicas e gerar machos sem fecundação. A espécie não é considerada ameaçada mas é presa de vários animais, sobretudo enquanto jovem, alguns dos quais são imunes à sua peçonha, considerado pouco ativo quando em comparação com outras espécies da América do Norte.
Bakır kafalı çıngıraklı yılan veya mokasen yılanı (Agkistrodon contortrix), Kuzey Amerika'da bulunan bir çukur engerek türü. Tanımlanmış beş alt türü bulunmaktadır.[2]
Bazıları 1 m'yi aşabiliyorsa da yetişkinler genellikle 50–95 cm uzunluğa erişebilir. Erkekler genellikle dişilerden daha büyüktür. Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen (Ditmars, 1931) 134.6 cm ile bu tür içinde rapor edilen en büyük yılandır.
ABD'de Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Güney Karolina, Kuzey Karolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Batı Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Pensilvanya, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Connecticut ve Massachusetts eyaletlerinde, Meksika'da Chihuahua ve Coahuila eyaletlerinde bulunur.
Bütün çukur engerekler gibi bakır kafalı da pusu kuran bir avcıdır. Pozisyonu alır ve uygun bir av gelinceye kadar bekler. ABD'nin güneyinde sıcak yaz günlerinde gececidir ancak ilkbahar ve sonbahar mevsimlerinde genellikle gündüz vakitlerinde aktiftir.
Çoğu Kuzey Amerika engereği gibi bu yılanlar da insanlardan kaçınır ve ısırmadan bölgeden ayrılmak için fırsat verilmesini bekler. Ancak diğer engereklerden farklı olarak sürünmek yerine genellikle donmuş vaziyettedir, bu yüzden de çoğu ısırık insanların onun üzerine veya yakınına bilmeden basması sonucunda olur.[3] Bu hareketsiz bekleme eğilimi yılanın oldukça etkili kamuflajının sonucunda gelişmiştir. Killi toprak ya da dökülmüş yaprakların üzerindeyken farkedilebilmesi neredeyse imkânsızdır. Çok yaklaşıldığında dahi sıklıkla beklemeye devam eder ve fiziksel bir temas olmadığı sürece de saldırmaz.
Bakır kafalı çıngıraklı yılan veya mokasen yılanı (Agkistrodon contortrix), Kuzey Amerika'da bulunan bir çukur engerek türü. Tanımlanmış beş alt türü bulunmaktadır.
Bazıları 1 m'yi aşabiliyorsa da yetişkinler genellikle 50–95 cm uzunluğa erişebilir. Erkekler genellikle dişilerden daha büyüktür. Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen (Ditmars, 1931) 134.6 cm ile bu tür içinde rapor edilen en büyük yılandır.
Agkistrodon contortrix là một loài rắn trong họ Rắn lục. Loài này được Linnaeus mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1766.[2]
Hành vi của loài rắn này có thể dẫn đến những cuộc chạm trán bất ngờ với con người. Năm phân loài hiện đang được công nhận, bao gồm phân loài chỉ định được đề cập ở đây. [3]
Cá thể rắn lớn trưởng thành với chiều dài trung bình (bao gồm đuôi) từ 50-95 cm (20-37 inch). Một số có thể có chiều dài vượt quá 1 m (3.3 ft), mặc dù điều này đặc biệt đối với loài này. [4] Con đực thường lớn hơn con cái. Những con đực trưởng thành có kích thước thường không vượt quá 74-76 cm (29 đến 30 inch), và con cái thường không vượt quá 60 đến 66 cm (24 đến 26 in).[5][6] Trong một nghiên cứu, người ta thấy rắn đực có trọng lượng từ 101,5 đến 343 g (3,58 đến 12,10 oz)[Chuyển đổi: Số không hợp lệ], với trọng lượng trung bình khoảng 197,4 g (6,96 oz)[Chuyển đổi: Số không hợp lệ].[7] Theo một nghiên cứu khác, rắn cái giới có khối lượng cơ thể trung bình là 119,8 g (4,23 oz)[Chuyển đổi: Số không hợp lệ].[8]. Chiều dài tối đa báo cáo cho loài này là 134,6 cm (53,0 in) cho A. c. mokasen (Ditmars, 1931). Brimley (1944) đề cập đến một mẫu vật của A. c. mokasen từ Chapel Hill, North Carolina, "bốn feet sáu inch" (137,2 cm), nhưng điều này có thể đã là một xấp xỉ. Chiều dài tối đa cho A. c. contortrix là 132,1 cm (52,0 in)[Chuyển đổi: Số không hợp lệ] (Conant, 1958).[9]
Cơ thể tương đối cứng và đầu rộng và khác biệt với cổ. Bởi vì mõm sườn dốc xuống và ngược lại, nó có vẻ ít cùn hơn lông mày, A. piscivorus. Do đó, đỉnh đầu kéo dài hơn về phía trước so với miệng. [10]
Tỷ lệ bao gồm 21-25 (thường là 23) các dãy vảy lưng ở giữa, 138-157 vảy bụng ở cả hai giới và 38-62 / 37-57 vảy ở nam giới / nữ giới. Các tiểu đơn vị thường là đơn lẻ, nhưng tỷ lệ phần trăm giảm dần từ phía đông bắc, khoảng 80% không chia cắt, về phía tây nam của dải địa lý, nơi chỉ có 50% có thể được phân chia. Trên đầu thường có 9 tấm đối xứng lớn, 6-10 (thường là 8) các vảy trên môi 8-13 (thường là 10) các vảy dưới môi.
Nó được tìm thấy ở Hoa Kỳ ở các tiểu bang Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Northern Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Đông Texas, Virginia vàWest Virginia. Tại Mexico, loài này phân bố ở Chihuahua và Coahuila. Các loại địa phương là "Carolina". Schmidt (1953) đề xuất loại địa phương bị giới hạn ở "Charleston, South Carolina"
Không giống như một số loài viper khác ở Bắc Mỹ, chẳng hạn như rắn đuôi chuông gỗ và Sistrurus catenatus, Agkistrodon contortrix hầu như không tái lập lại phía bắc của phần cuối sau thời kỳ băng hà cuối cùng (Wisconsin băng giá) mặc dù loài này được tìm thấy ở đông nam Bang New York và phía nam New England, phía bắc Wisconsin của trạm đóng băng ở Long Island.
Trong phạm vi của nó nó chiếm nhiều môi trường sống khác nhau. Ở hầu hết Bắc Mỹ, loài này ưu thích rừng rụng lá và rừng hỗn giao. Loài này thường sống ở các mỏ đá và mỏ đá, nhưng cũng được tìm thấy ở các vùng đầm lầy thấp. Trong mùa đông, chúng ngủ đông trong các hang động, trong các khe đá vôi, thường cùng với cây đuôi chuông bằng gỗ và rắn chuột đen. Tuy nhiên, ở các bang xung quanh Vịnh Mexico, loài này cũng được tìm thấy trong rừng lá kim. Ở sa mạc Chihuahua ở phía Tây Texas và miền bắc Mexico, nó xảy ra trong môi trường sống ven sông, thường ở gần nước vĩnh viễn hoặc nửa muồi và đôi khi ở các rạch khô.
Agkistrodon contortrix là một loài rắn trong họ Rắn lục. Loài này được Linnaeus mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1766.
Hành vi của loài rắn này có thể dẫn đến những cuộc chạm trán bất ngờ với con người. Năm phân loài hiện đang được công nhận, bao gồm phân loài chỉ định được đề cập ở đây.
銅頭蝮(學名:Agkistrodon contortrix)是蛇亞目蝰蛇科蝮亞科蝮屬下的一種毒蛇,主要分布於北美洲。目前共有5個亞種已被確認。[2]
成年銅頭蝮身體約長50至95公分,也有可能長越1米。雄性銅頭蝮一般較雌蛇壯碩,目前最長銅頭蝮的紀錄是一條北部銅頭蝮(A. c. mokasen, Ditmars, 1931),身體長達132.6公分。模式種銅頭蝮的最長長度為132.1公分。[3]銅頭蝮身體較壯碩,頭部扁闊,與頸部有明顯分野。其鼻端至下唇位置向後伸展,正前方的吻部位置不如其亞種跨佩科斯銅頭蝮(A. c. piscivorus)般圓鈍平坦,因為銅頭蝮上顎以上的頭部比下顎以下的部分更向前突出,因此鼻吻前端顯得較尖。[4]
在鱗片結構方面,銅頭蝮背鱗約有21至25排,腹鱗約有138至157排,雄蛇的尾下鱗約有28至62排,而雌蛇則有37至57排。牠們的尾下鱗為單片排列結構,但分布於偏西南地區的銅頭蝮,有半數的尾下鱗有機會是成對排列結構。銅頭蝮額冠位置有9塊較大塊的平鱗,另外有6至10片上唇鱗及8至13片下唇鱗。[3]
體色方面,銅頭蝮身體多以黃褐色、淺粉紅色為基調,兩側顏色較深沉,並佈有10至18組的橫紋。一般銅頭蝮的體色通常則較偏淺色。牠們的體紋一般不會伸展至腹部,腹部顏色與基調色基本一致,或可能微偏白色。銅頭蝮尾部位置有1至2組棕色橫紋,幼蛇階段時的尾部紋理較為明顯,尾端呈黃色。頭冠位置一般沒有斑紋,只有一對小黑點斑,約位於顱頂鱗片的中線。眶邊有一條模糊的線紋。[4]
在保育狀態方面,銅頭蝮被世界自然保護聯盟紅色名錄列為「低危」狀態。[5]
銅頭蝮主要分布於美國諸州份,包括德克薩斯州、奧克拉荷馬州、肯薩斯州、密蘇里州、阿肯色州、路易斯安娜州、密西西比州、阿拉巴馬州、喬治亞州、佛羅里達州、南卡羅來納州、北卡羅來納州、田納西州、肯塔基州、維吉尼亞州、西維吉尼亞州、伊利諾州、印第安納州、俄亥俄州、愛荷華州、賓夕凡尼亞州、馬里蘭州、新澤西州、德拉威州、紐約州、康乃狄克州及麻薩諸塞州。在墨西哥的奇瓦瓦州及科阿韋拉州也有出沒。其標準產地為「南卡羅來納州查爾斯頓」。[1]
銅頭蝮能於多種地理環境中棲息。在北美洲的落葉樹林及木林是牠們經常出沒的地方,而在岩群之類的地形或潮濕環境亦能找到牠們的蹤影。在墨西哥灣一帶,銅頭蝮亦出沒於溫帶松樹林裡。而在德克薩斯州西部及墨西哥北部的奇瓦瓦沙漠河岸帶,銅頭蝮亦會於河道或已乾枯的溪地裡活動。[3]
銅頭蝮像一般蝮蛇一樣,是伏擊型的獵食高手。當要進行捕獵時,牠們會找尋一個有利的位置,等待適當的獵物自投羅網。在美國南部的夏天,銅頭蝮多於夜間出沒,而在春天或雨天時牠們則多於日間活動。銅頭蝮有避開人類的傾向,如果遇到人類而情況許可之下,牠們多會選擇逃逸多於發動攻擊;然而,牠們不會瞬即遠逸,而是會逗留在原地靜靜觀察對手動靜,可是牠們本身擅長潛藏(多躲於地上的枯葉之間),所以令到很多根本看不到銅頭蝮存在的人類,因為誤踏牠們而被其咬傷。[6]一般來說,即使有人類接近,銅頭蝮亦不會輕易進行咬擊,但當彼此之間有直接接觸之時,銅頭蝮便會毫不留情地噬咬對方。
約九成的銅頭蝮都以小型鼠類生物為食,也會捕食大隻昆蟲及蛙類。而且儘管銅頭蝮屬於陸行型蛇類,牠們仍可攀緣樹幹以捕食蟬隻。
銅頭蝮多於夏季進行繁殖,但有時候雌性銅頭蝮會懷胎多年,然後逐年誕下部分幼蛇,而不會一次性將所有胎兒產出。銅頭蝮是胎生蛇類,每胎能誕下4至7條幼蛇,幼蛇體長約達20公分。幼蛇體色與成年銅頭蝮相似,只是略為淺色,尾部末端有黃色斑紋,用作偽裝小蟲或節肢動物,引誘蜥蜴及蛙類,並將其捕食。
雖然銅頭蝮是毒蛇的一員,但牠們並不常主動作出咬擊,而其咬擊亦幾乎未有致命紀錄。銅頭蝮的毒素約需要100毫克才能致命,在一些毒性測試中亦顯示出銅頭蝮的毒性較一般蝮蛇為弱,只比同屬的食魚蝮(Agkistrodon piscivorus)稍強。然而食魚蝮產毒量較多,因此牠所造成的威脅比銅頭蝮更大。銅頭蝮在進行咬擊時,還可能只會運用「警告式」的咬擊,牠們在受到人類騷擾的時候所進行的咬擊可能只會注入少量的毒液,有時更會採用「無毒咬擊(Dry bite)」,目的只在於驅散敵人多於奪其性命。事實上所有蝮蛇都可以使出無毒咬擊,問題只在於該種蝮蛇會否作如此選擇而已。
銅頭蝮毒素會引發傷口疼痛、麻痺、抽筋、腫脹及嚴重噁心,亦會破壞肌肉及骨骼組織。如果被咬傷處位於肌肉群薄弱的地帶(如手掌、腳掌),更會因為缺乏足夠肌肉以承受蛇毒,而導致肌肉壞死。但凡被毒蛇咬傷,不管其毒性如何,均應謹慎處理並迅速作出治療。不過,醫學界發現銅頭蝮毒素能提煉出一種名為「Contortrostatin」的蛋白,能有效地對抗腫瘤生成及抑壓癌細胞發展與擴散。雖然其成效仍在測試當中,但相信在十多年後銅頭蝮毒蛋白會在一般抗癌療程中成為重要的助力。
雖然在原理上一些抗毒血清能有效地抑制銅頭蝮毒素,但一般不建議以這種方法來治療銅頭蝮毒。因為很多時候患者對於血清的過敏徵狀所帶來的風險,往往比銅頭蝮毒素本身的威脅還要大。[1]
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中的日期值 (帮助)
성체의 평균 몸길이는 50-95cm로 성장한다. 일부는 1m를 초과할 수 있다. 수컷은 일반적으로 암컷보다 크다.