Crotalus ruber

Crotalus ruber (commonly known as the red diamond rattleback) is a species of venomous Pit vipers. There are currently three subspecies found.

Crotalus ruber
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Crotalus
Species:	C. ruber
Binomial name
Crotalus ruber Cope, 1892
Synonyms
Caudisona atrox sonoraensis - Kennicott, 1861 Crotalus adamanteus atrox - Cope, 1875 Crotalus exsul - Garman, 1884 Crotalus adamanteus ruber - Cope, 1892 Crotalus ruber - Van Denburgh, 1896 Crotalus atrox ruber - Stejneger, 1895 Crotalus exsul - Grinnell & Camp, 1917 Crotalus atrox elegans - Schmidt, 1922 Crotalus exul ruber - Kallert, 1927 Crotalus ruber ruber - Klauber, 1949 Crotalus ruber elegans - Harris & Simmons, 1978 Crotalus ruber monserratensis - Harris & Simmons, 1978 Crotalus exsul exsul - Grismer, McGuire & Hollingsworth, 1994

Description

The Red Diamond Rattlesnake is a large species of Rattlesnake. It usually grows up to the length of 100 centimeters (39 in), but some males can grow up to the length of 140 centimeters (55 in). The largest ever found was 162 centimeters (64 in) long. Its pattern is similar to the "Western Diamondback Rattlesnake", but the Red Diamond Rattlesnake has more of a reddish color on it.

Common Names

This snake has many names like the "Red Rattlesnake", the "Red Rattler", the "Red Diamond-backed Rattlesnake", and the "Western Diamond Rattlesnake".

Where it lives

The Red Diamond Rattlesnake lives mainly in deserts and on mountains in Southwestern California, U.S.A, northeastern Baja California, Mexico, and islands in the Gulf of California like Angel de la Guarda, San Macros and Monserrate.

Diet

It eats mainly rabbits, ground squirrels, and birds, but sometimes they eat lizards and other snakes.

Reproduction

Red Diamond Rattlesnakes mate in February and April. Females have their babies in August; they have around 3 to 20 babies at a time. The babies are born 30 to 34 cm long.

Other websites

• Crotalus ruber at the TIGR Reptile Database. Accessed 12 December 2007.
• Crotalus exsul (=Crotalus ruber) Red Diamond Rattlesnake at San Diego Museum of Natural History. Accessed 7 February 2007.