Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i think it is some subspeicies of viridis.

Please let us know where it was found, if possible.

Sedona, arizona on a mountain bike ride.

i also found some rattlesnakes in high altitudes of 7000 feet in payson arizona, they turned out to be arizona blacks, c.v. cerberus,which i think this one is too.

It's a Cerb. Also, they were moved from virdis to oreganus. too bad

Sorry that that awsome Crotalid is smushed or sorry that the taxonomy was changed? LOL When was that change made? I am not that familiar with those critters, but have always admired them. Are they as hot as some of the oreganus?

It is too bad. I did roadkill work on a busy highway in cenral FL for many years during my time as a bio. with the FL Park service. Amazing and depressing what is smashed on the blacktop in this state.
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Brian Emanuel
NYOKA REPTILES
nyokareptiles@yahoo.com

LOL The taxonomy, of course.

From the 2003 update to the SSAR Herpetological Circular 29

Crotalus oreganus Holbrook, 1840—Western Rattlesnake
Pook et al. (2000, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 15: 269–282), Ashton and de
Queiroz (2001, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 21: 176–189), and Douglas et al.
(2002, pp. 11–50 in Biology of the Vipers, G. W. Schuett, M. Höggren,
M. E. Douglas, and H. W. Greene [eds.], Eagle Mountain Press) analyzed
mtDNA sequence data and concluded that Crotalus viridis comprised at
least two clades, C. viridis and C. oreganus, with C. v. cerberus being the
sister taxon to populations of C. oreganus. The former two studies did
not formally recognize cerberus as a species, although both suggested
that it was an evolutionary species based on sequence differences and
allopatry. The last study did recognize cerberus as well as four other taxa.
We take the conservative action supported by the congruence among all
three studies, which is the recognition of viridis and oreganus.
C. o. abyssus Klauber, 1930—Grand Canyon Rattlesnake
C. o. cerberus (Coues, 1875)—Arizona Black Rattlesnake
C. o. concolor Woodbury, 1929—Midget Faded Rattlesnake
C. o. helleri Meek, 1905—Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
C. o. lutosus Klauber, 1930—Great Basin Rattlesnake
C. o. oreganus Holbrook, 1840—Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

Thanks,

I knew that oreganus had been resurected, but did not know to what extent. I cant seem to keep up these days. Thanks again.

Brian
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Brian Emanuel
NYOKA REPTILES
nyokareptiles@yahoo.com