PHOTOS	RANGE MAP

All subspecies:
Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus
Crotalus scutulatus salvini

The most dangerous of the rattlesnakes in the United States, the Mojave rattlesnake possesses some of the most potent venom of all the rattlesnakes. The venom exhibits more neurotoxic activity than most other rattlesnake venoms.

Description:
The Mojave rattlesnake is patterned similar to the prairie rattlesnake. The body is most commonly brown or green in color although sometimes it is gray. A dark stripe runs from behind the eyes to the corner of the mouth. The blotches on the back are typically more diamond in shape than rectangular as in the prairie rattlesnake. The tail ends in black and white bands with the white bands being broad and the black bands being thinner than the white bands. Some variation exists and some species may have black and white bands that are similar in width.

dorsal scale rows	ventrals		subcaudals		supralabials	infralabials
21-29		165-187		21-29	12-18	12-18
		165-192		15-23

Length:
Adult Mojave rattlesnakes average 90 cm in total length with large adults reaching lengths up to 130 cm. The neonates are between 20 - 30 cm in length when born.

Range:

United States:		southeastern California into southern Nevada, southeast through Arizona into west Texas
Mexico:		northern Sonora through most of Chihuahua southwest into Guanajuato and northeastern Michoacán

Habitat:
The Mojave rattlesnake is found in desert flats with mesquite, creosote bush as well as arid, sparsely vegetated areas.

Creosote flats. Habitat for Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus in Hidalgo County, NM, U.S.A.

Reproduction:
Copulation occurs in the summer with young being born the following year. The number of young ranges from 2 - 13 babies which measure in the neighborhood of 30 cm.