Rattlesnake
Panamint Rattlesnake
VenomousCrotalus stephensi
2 photographs of the Panamint Rattlesnake. © Matt Berger.
The Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi) 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 Panamint Rattlesnake
Crotalus stephensi, also known as the Panamint Rattlesnake, is a venomous pitviper species found in central and southern Nevada and adjacent California. Other common names include Owens Valley rattlesnake and tiger rattlesnake (not to be confused with C. tigris).
Etymology
The specific name, stephensi, is in honor of Frank Stephens (1849–1937), curator emeritus of the San Diego Society of Natural History.
Description
Adults of C. stephensi are 58 to 132 cm (23 to 52 in) in total length (including tail), with an average of 60 to 91 cm (24 to 36 in).
According to Klauber (1936), this species is characterized by the absence of the vertical light line on the posterior edge of the prenasal and first supralabial scales. The supraocular scales are pitted, sutured, or with the outer edges broken.
The color pattern consists of a straw, tan, buff, brown, or gray ground color, overlaid with a series of buff, gray, brown, or deep red-brown blotches. Often, gray suffusions occur on the sides of the body and head, and a scattering of black-tipped scales occur on the back, especially at the edges of the blotches.
Geographic range
Crotalus stephensi is found in desert-mountain areas of the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada from Mono County, California, east to Nye County, Nevada, south through southwestern Nevada, southeast to Clark County, Nevada, and southwest to central San Bernardino County, California at 900 to 2,400 m (3,000 to 7,900 ft) altitude.
Feeding
The diet of C. stephensi consists of small mammals, lizards, and birds.
Reproduction
Crotalus stephensi is ovoviviparous, and the young are born in July and August. Neonates are about 25 cm in total length.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Panamint Rattlesnake
- Is the Panamint Rattlesnake venomous?
- Yes. The Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi) 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 Panamint Rattlesnake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Panamint Rattlesnake is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Panamint 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 Panamint Rattlesnake live?
- The Panamint Rattlesnake has verified records in 1 country, including United States of America. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- How do I identify the Panamint Rattlesnake?
- Heavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
- How big does the Panamint Rattlesnake get?
- Typically 2–5 ft; some species exceed 6 ft.
- What does the Panamint Rattlesnake eat?
- The diet of C. stephensi consists of small mammals, lizards, and birds.
- Why is it called the Panamint Rattlesnake?
- The specific name, stephensi, is in honor of Frank Stephens (1849–1937), curator emeritus of the San Diego Society of Natural History.
If you are bitten by the Panamint 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
By U.S. state
Snakes it is confused with
Gopher SnakeHarmlessRattlesnakes are sometimes confused with harmless gophersnakes/bullsnakes; only rattlesnakes have a true segmented rattle and a facial pit.
Panamint Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake→
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.