The Cottonmouth , scientifically known as Agkistrodon piscivorus , is a venomous ophidian native to the southeasterly United States . It belong to the Viperidae family and the subfamily Crotalinae , which also admit rattlesnakes and copperhead . The common names “ Cottonmouth ” and “ Water Moccasin ” are derive from the Snake River ’s characteristic justificatory display , where it open its mouth wide , revealing the clean interior that resemble cotton fiber .
Habitat
water moccasin are primarily found in the southeast United States , include areas such as Florida , Georgia , Alabama , Mississippi , the Carolinas , and part of Virginia . They can be found in about all freshwater habitats but are most usual in cypress tree swamp , river floodplains , and heavily - vegetated wetlands . Cottonmouths will venture overland and are sometimes found far from permanent water . Agkistrodon piscivorus often congregate around drying pools in wetland .
In various locating , these snakes are well - adapt to less moist environments , such as palmetto copse , pine - palmetto woodland , pine woods in East Texas , pine flatwoods in Florida , eastern deciduous dune woodland , dune and beach country , riparian forests , and prairies .
Appearance
Cottonmouths have a colour formula with a banded appearing . They can be beautifully marked with dark crossbands on a brown and yellow soil colouring material or completely brown or black . Older adults are often dark and solid - colored person whereas the juveniles are bright pattern with a sulphur chickenhearted rear end summit that they joggle to attract prey . The venter typically has dark and brownish - yellow blotches with the bottom of the tail being black .
While adult tend to darken and miss their distinct stripe , becoming more uniformly dark-skinned in semblance . Adult can quantify between 2 to 4 foot in duration , although large individuals have been immortalise .
This specie is often confused with nonvenomous watersnakes , but watersnakes unremarkably take flight immediately if on land or in a tree diagram , commonly move underwater , whereas cottonmouth often remain firm their basis and gape to deter a predator .
Behavior
Cottonmouths can be find during the day or night , but scrounge primarily after dark during the hotter parts of the season . Throughout much of their chain , they can be get hold class - pear-shaped , even in gay days in the winter . Cottonmouths bask on logarithm , rocks , or leg at the urine ’s edge but seldom climb high in trees ( unlike many of the nonvenomous watersnakes which commonly savor on branches several feet above the piss ) . They employ both trap and active foraging strategy .
They are also excellent natator and are often found in or near body of water . They can swim with most of their physical structure submerge . Moreover , they are fuck for their defensive behavior . When stressed or threatened , piss moccasins perform a characteristic threat display that let in vibrate their tail and throwing their head back with their mouth open to display the startling white Interior Department ; they will often make a loud hiss while the neck and front part of the body is pull into an S - shaped position . This is a justificative display , not necessarily an reading of aggression .
Other defensive responses can include flatten the body and emitting a strong , pungent secretion from the anal glands located at the base of the keister .
Cottonmouths mate in the early summer at which time male - to - male fight occurs in rivalry for female . Females have litters of 1 - 20 live vernal every 2 - 3 years . The young are large ( 20 - 33 cm ) and have promising chicken tail crown .
The habit of Water moccasin snapping their jaws shut when anything advert their backtalk has earned them the name “ ambuscade jaw ” in some areas .
Diet
Cottonmouths are opportunistic feeders and are known to eat up a variety of aquatic and terrestrial prey , including amphibian , birds lizards , Snake ( including smaller cottonmouths ) , small turtles , babe alligators , mammals , birds , and especially Pisces . They are adequate to of consuming prey that is significantly larger than their head due to their ability to dislocate their jaws .
Venom
water moccasin are virulent , and their venom is hemotoxic , meaning it affects the stemma and surrounding tissues . While their bites can be painful and potentially dangerous , fatalities are rare , as they usually give warning signs before attain .
Reproduction
Cottonmouths are ovoviviparous , meaning the female give birth to live young rather than pose egg . The pregnancy catamenia is approximately five month , and a bedding material may consist of 7 to 20 or more offspring .
Conservation
Cottonmouths are not list as endangered or threaten , and their populations are broadly stable . However , home ground red ink and human persecution pose threats to their well - being .
Identifying Characteristics From Other Species
Here are some dispute you may look for in general to aid name cottonmouths from watersnakes :
References:
Glaudas , X. , K. M. Andrews , J. D. Willson , and J. W. Gibbons . 2007 . Migration patterns in a population of cottonmouths ( Agkistrodon piscivorus ) inhabit an isolated wetland . diary of Zoology 271:119 - 124 .
Glaudas , X. , and C. T. Winne . 2007 . Do admonition video display predict affect behavior in a viperid snake , the cottonmouth ( Agkistrodon piscivorus ) ? Canadian Journal of Zoology 85:574 - 578 .
Water Moccasin on The IUCN Red List web site – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/64298/12756313
