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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Florida cottonmouth, cottonmouth, water moccasin |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Viperidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Agkistrodon (fish hook tooth) piscivorus
(fish eater) conanti (honors Roger Conant) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
The Florida cottonmouth is a medium-bodied snake.
Its color ranges from olive green to dark brown
to jet black. It has a "bandit's mask",
a dark line which runs through the eye, bordered
above and below by white. Its head is spade shaped
and noticeably larger and thicker than its neck.
Its chin is a light cream color. |
| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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| SIZE: |
Averages 75 cm (30 in.) in length; maximum length
of 180 cm (72 in.) |
| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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| WEIGHT: |
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| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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| DIET: |
They are excellent swimmers and feed primarily on
aquatic species. Cottonmouths are carnivores, feeding
on fishes, amphibians, birds, eggs, rodents, baby
alligators, small turtles, and other snakes. |
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| INCUBATION: |
3-4 months |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
12-16
young |
| BREEDING
PERIOD |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
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| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
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| MALE |
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| FEMALE |
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| RANGE: |
Florida, southeastern Alabama, and southern Georgia.
They are one of just three subspecies of the only
venomous species of water snake in North America. |
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| HABITAT: |
Cottonmouths inhabit wetland areas. |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
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| LOCAL |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not listed |
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| 1. |
Snakes in this family are classified as pit vipers,
noted for their facial pits, found below and between
the eye and nostril on both sides of the head. The
pit is highly sensitive to infrared radiation (heat)
and serves as a direction finder in locating warm-blooded
prey or predators. |
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| 2. |
These snakes are nocturnal, preferring to hunt at
night. When catching frogs and fish, the cottonmouth
holds its prey in its jaws until the venom takes
effect. However, when capturing mammals, the cottonmouth
bites, then releases the prey immediately because
mammals are more likely to bite back. While the
cottonmouth is capable of inflicting great damage
through its bite, it rarely causes death in humans. |
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| 3. |
Several non-venomous water snakes are often mistaken
for the cottonmouth. In the water, the cottonmouth
floats very high, with most of its body visible
above the water line. The non-venomous water snakes
are less buoyant, swimming with little more than
the head and neck exposed. When a cottonmouth feels
threatened, it often opens its mouth, exposing the
startling white interior. Unlike true water snakes,
the cottonmouth will also vibrate its tail (though
there is not a rattle). Unlike their copperhead
cousins, cottonmouths will not often flee from predators
or other perceived threats. |
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| 4. |
Contrary to population belief, cottonmouths are
capable of biting underwater. |
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
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Cottonmouths are an important food source for
larger animals such as king snakes, great blue
herons, and an occasionally large mouth bass.
They help keep our waterways clean because they
are scavengers as well as predators.
Misidentification
is responsible for the death of countless, harmless
colubrid aquatic and semi-aquatic snakes that
are mistaken for cottonmouths. Suburban housing
and agricultural development destroy vast areas
of habitat.
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Ashton,
Ray Jr. and Patricia Sawyer Ashton. Reptiles
and Amphibians of Florida: Part One, The Snakes.
Miami. Windward Pub., 1988.
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May, Peter G. and Terence M. Farrell. "Florida's
Flatwood's Cottonmouth". Reptile & Amphibian
Magazine, Sept.-Oct. 1998. |
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Mehrtens, John M. Living Snakes of the World.
New York. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 1987.
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| http://www.centralfloridazoo.org/florida_cottonmouth.htm |
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| www.animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu |
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