
Photo credit:
Eric Centenero Alcala
Common name
Tlaloc's Rattlesnake
Scientific name
Crotalus tlaloci
Conservation Status
Federal and State Protections
N/A
Countries of Occurrence
Mexico
States or Providence
Guerrero, Estado de México, Michoacán, Morelos, and possibly into Puebla
Counties
Adult size
60cm (24in) - 68.3cm (26.9in)
Species Description
This small to medium-sized rattlesnake occurs in Central Mexico at elevations of 6000 to 7800 ft. Their habitat is characterized by humid pine-oak forest with wide-leafed oaks and rocky clearings. Particular scales (intercanthals) on the head of Tlaloc's rattlesnake differentiate this species from similar species in the region along with scale counts and it's distinctive dark eyestripe.
Fun fact: Tlaloc's rattlesnake has a proportionally longer tail than most other rattlesnakes, especially in Central Mexico, that can be up to 11.3% of its body length in males!