Rattlesnake
Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake
VenomousCrotalus angelensis
3 photographs of the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake. (c) brandon_dietrich, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).
The Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus angelensis) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family, recorded in 1 country.
If you are bitten
Rattlesnake bites are medically serious. Expect intense pain, rapid swelling, and bruising. Stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to an emergency room immediately. Do NOT apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 in the US, or your local emergency number. (Source: CDC.)
- Also called
- Rattlesnake
- Family
- Viperidae
- Size
- Typically 2–5 ft; some species exceed 6 ft.
- Habitat
- Deserts, rocky outcrops, grasslands, and woodland edges, depending on species.
- Behavior
- Ambush predators that buzz the tail as a warning; mostly active in warm months and often crepuscular in summer heat.
- Identify
- Heavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
- Danger
- high
About the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake
Crotalus angelensis, or the Ángel de la Guarda Island speckled rattlesnake, is a pit viper species endemic to Isla Ángel de la Guarda in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Like all other pitvipers, it is venomous. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Crotalus mitchellii.
Description
Grows to a maximum size of 137 centimetres (4 ft 6 in).
Geographic range
Found only on Isla Ángel de la Guarda in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The type locality given is "about 4 miles [6 km] southeast of Refugio Bay, at 1,500 feet [460 m] elevation, Isla Ángel de la Guarda, Gulf of California, Mexico (near 29°29½'N, 113°33'W)".
Habitat
Gravelly beaches along the shore; rocky arroyos, washes, and on the hillsides of the island's interior, from sea-level up to 500 m.
Conservation status
This species is classified as "Least Concern" (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It occurs in a protected area and is very abundant within its small range.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake
- Is the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake venomous?
- Yes. The Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus angelensis) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (rattlesnake). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake dangerous?
- Rattlesnake bites are medically serious. Expect intense pain, rapid swelling, and bruising. Stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to an emergency room immediately. Do NOT apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 in the US, or your local emergency number. (Source: CDC.)
- Where does the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake live?
- The Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake has verified records in 1 country, including Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- How do I identify the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake?
- Heavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
- How big does the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake get?
- Typically 2–5 ft; some species exceed 6 ft.
If you are bitten by the Angel de la Guarda Island Speckled Rattlesnake
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
More Viperidae snakes
Western RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganus
Western Diamond-backed RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox
Timber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus
Prairie RattlesnakeCrotalus viridis
Red Diamond RattlesnakeCrotalus ruber
Mojave RattlesnakeCrotalus scutulatus
Western Black-tailed RattlesnakeCrotalus molossus
SidewinderCrotalus cerastes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.