Cottonmouths are venomous snakes that are found in the southeastern United States. Cottonmouths are called that because of the white color on their mouths when threatened.
Cottonmouths are semiaquatic, so they are comfortable both swimming in water and lounging on land. The only venomous snake in the US spends a lot of time in the water. Black moccasins, gapers, mangrove rattlers, snap jaws, stub-tail snakes, swamp lions, trap jaws, water mambas and water pilots are some of the local names for cottonmouths.
There are pit vipers, copperheads, and rattlesnakes, as well as cottonmouths, according to Sara. Cottonmouths have heat-sensitive facial pits between their eyes and nostrils. The specialized pits are used to detect minute differences in temperature so that the snake can accurately strike the source of heat. Cottonmouths bite people when provoked.
The size of cottonmouths varies from 2 to 4 feet long. Their bodies are covered in ridged scales and have large jowls. Their pupils are similar to cat pupils and they have stripes next to their nostrils. Their colors range from dark brown or black to olive or yellow.
The nonvenomous water snake is sometimes confused with the cottonmouth. Cottonmouths and Nerodia species have the same coloring and patterns. Humans kill water snakes out of fear that they are cottonmouths.
According to the University of Florida, there are a few ways to tell a venomous water moccasin. Cottonmouths are heavier and thinner than water snakes. Cottonmouth's head is blocky and noticeably wider than the snake's neck, and water snakes have longer, thinner tails. The pupils of water snakes are not like those of cottonmouths. The pits on the face of pit vipers are characteristic of water snakes.
Taxonomy of cottonmouth.
The kingdom is called Animalia.
Chor data is called phylum.
The class is called Reptilia.
There is an order for "Sultana".
The family of vipers.
The species and genera of Agkistrodon piscivorus.
Itis is the source.
The northern and southern water snakes try to appear larger than they are by flattening their bodies. They look like cottonmouths. A water snake's head is not blocky and thick like a cottonmouth's head. Even if the head is flattened, it will still be the same width as the neck. The risk of being bitten by a snake increases if you try to kill it.
Adult cottonmouths are lighter brown than juvenile cottonmouths. The bright yellow tail tips of juveniles are used as a lure. The striking patterns on the juvenile fades with age.
The range of cottonmouths is from southeastern Virginia to Florida, west to central Texas and north to southern Illinois and Indiana. swamps, marsh, drainage ditches, ponds, lakes and streams are where they live.
Cottonmouths can be seen year-round during the day and at night, but they mostly hunt after dark in the summer.
The cottonmouth are recognized by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. There are cottonmouths in Florida, western cottonmouths, and eastern cottonmouths.
It's hard to identify the different subspecies. They have different markings and can interbreed where their ranges overlap.
Cottonmouths hunt on land. The University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web states that they eat fish, small mammals, birds, amphibian and reptile. Cottonmouths kill with a single, venomous bite, then wrap around their prey and swallow their food whole.
The cottonmouths mate in the spring. Men wave their tails to lure females away from other men. Male and female competitors fight each other. There is a five month period for females. Eggs can be found inside the mother's body of cottonmouths. Every two to three years, females give birth to litters of 10 to 20 children.
Cottonmouths are born bright colors and go off on their own. Cottonmouths don't make it to adulthood because they are eaten by other animals.
Cottonmouths can live a long time. Cottonmouths live less than 10 years in the wild. According to ADW, at least one captive cottonmouth has lived to be over 24 years old.
Cottonmouths can be found in the northern part of their range. They can be found in burrows made by other animals, such as crayfish and tortoises, or under some other form of cover.
Unless stepped on, cottonmouths don't bite humans. They might use defensive behaviors to stand their ground.
When a cottonmouth is threatened, it will coil its body and open its mouth wide to expose the white color of its mouth. The flash of white contrasts with the dark colors of the snake. The white of the mouth is a warning sign.
The Florida Museum of Natural History says that cottonmouths can make themselves stink by spraying a foul-smelling Musk from their tail. Cottonmouths can make a vibrating sound by shaking their tails, but they don't have a real rattle.
Cottonmouth venom can be fatal to people. If you suffer a cottonmouth bite, seek medical attention right away. The sooner antivenom can be administered, the sooner irreversible damage from the venom can be stopped. After calling for emergency services, the CDC suggests that snakebite victims take a photo of the snake from a safe distance if possible, remain calm and apply first aid while waiting for emergency medical service personnel to arrive.
Humans bitten by pit vipers, such as cottonmouths, will feel an immediate burning pain where they've been bitten, and these bite wounds usually begin to swell within five minutes. Around the wound, skin is discolored.
Blood cells are broken down by hemotoxins in cottonmouth venom, which prevents the blood from coagulating. She said that the hemotoxins lead tohemorrhaging throughout the circulatory system. Being bitten and injected with cottonmouth venom can lead to temporary and/or permanent tissue and muscle damage, depending on the location of the bite.
According to the University of Florida, between 7,000 and 8000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the US each year. According to TPWD, cottonmouths account for less than 1% of all snakebite deaths.
The species is at low risk of extinction because it is categorized as a species of least concern on the red list. The population of cottonmouths is large and stable according to the IUCN.
The cottonmouth is protected by state law in some places. Cottonmouths are protected from being killed in Missouri, according to the Department ofConservation.
You can read about the effects of cottonmouth venom here.
The article was edited by Live Science.
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