The western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)[2][3][4] was once classified as a subspecies of the cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus). However, DNA based studies published in 2008 and 2015, revealed no significant genetic difference between the eastern cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) and the western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma) and synonymized the two subspecies (with the oldest published name, A. p. piscivorus, having priority). The resulting taxonomy does not recognizes the western cottonmouth (A. p. leucostoma) as a valid taxon.[5][6] Several subsequent reviews and species accounts have followed and supported the revised taxonomy.[7][8]: 437 p. [9] Information on this snake can be found in the Agkistrodon piscivorus article.
Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma is a stout snake with a thick, muscular body. It is the smallest of the three subspecies of A. piscivorus. The average length of mature specimens is 27.5 inches (69.9 cm), while the maximum reported length is 62 inches (157.5 cm).[10]
Adult specimens are usually dark gray or brown with little or no markings, although a dorsal color pattern consisting of 10 to 15 dark crossbands can be seen in some specimens.[10] Like other members of the species, its color darkens with age, and very old specimens may appear entirely black. Unlike the other two subspecies (A. p. conanti and A. p. piscivorus), the light line that borders the dark cheek strip is usually not present in this subspecies. The dorsal scales are keeled, in rows of 25 near the midbody, and the anal scale is undivided.[11] Its broad, flat head is distinctly wider than its neck, and it has an elliptical (cat-like) pupil. By day the pupil appears as a narrow slit; at night the pupil is wide and may even look round.[12]
Behavioredit
The animal opens its mouth widely when startled, exposing its whitish-colored oral mucosa; this is the reason it is commonly referred to as the "cottonmouth".
Common namesedit
Western cottonmouth, water moccasin, cottonmouth, (black) moccasin, blunt-tail moccasin, (northern) cottonmouth moccasin, stump-tail (water) moccasin, viper, western cottonmouth moccasin,[3] cotton-mouthed snake, Congo snake, trap-jaw, gapper.[10]
Geographic rangeedit
Found in the United States, from southern Alabama along coast of the Gulf of Mexico, including many offshore islands, to southeastern and central Texas and north to Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and southeastern Nebraska, and western Kentucky.[10] The type locality given is "western district of Tennessee". Schmidt (1953) proposed that this be amended to "10 miles northeast of Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tennessee".[1]
Referencesedit
^ abMcDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN1-893777-01-4 (volume).
^Conant R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Second Edition. First published in 1958. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston. 429 pp. 48 plates. ISBN0-395-19979-4 (hc), ISBN0-395-19977-8 (pb).
^ abWright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates. (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. ISBN0-8014-0463-0.
^Guiher TJ, Burbrink FT (2008). Demographic and phylogeographic histories of two venomous North American snakes of the genus Agkistrodon. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 48: 543–553.
^Burbrink, Frank T. and Timothy J. Guiher. 2014. Considering gene flow when using coalescent methods to delimit lineages of North American pitvipers of the genus Agkistrodon. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 173: 505–526.
^Crother, B. I. ( editor). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 8th. edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43, 1–102 pp. (page 59) ISBN978-1-946681-00-3
^Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, 4th ed. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co. New York. 494 pp. ISBN978-0-544-12997-9
^Uetz P, Freed P, Aguilar R, Hošek J (editors) (2021). The Reptile Database, Agkistrodon piscivorus (accessed 6 August 2021)
^ abcdGloyd HK, Conant R. 1990. Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex: A Monographic Review. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 614 pp. 52 plates. LCCN 89-50342. ISBN0-916984-20-6.
^Travis LaDuc; David Cannatella (2019). "Cottonmouth". Herps of Texas. Austin, Texas. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
^"Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)". Wildlife Fact Sheets. Austin, Texas: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
Further readingedit
Barbour RW. 1956. A study of the cottonmouth, Ancistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Troost, in Kentucky. Trans. Kentucky Acad. Sci., 17: 33-41.
Clarke RF. 1949. Snakes of the hill parishes of Louisiana. Jour. Tennessee Acad. Sci., 24: 244-261.
Gloyd HK, Conant R. 1943. A synopsis of the American forms of Agkistrodon (copperheads and moccasins). Bull. Chicago Acad. Sci, 7: 147-170.
Holbrook JE. 1842. North American herpetology: or a description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States. Volume 3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, J. Dobson; London, England, R. Baldwin: 3: i-ii, 3-128 (Notes: this data is from the 1976 reprint issued by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
Schmidt KP. 1953. A check list of North American amphibians and reptiles. Sixth edition. Chicago, Illinois, Amer. Soc. Icthyol. Herpetol.: i-viii, 1-280.
Smith HM, Taylor EH. 1945. An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus., 187: 1-239.
Troost G. 1836. On a new genus of serpents, and two new species of the genus Heterodon, inhabiting Tennessee. Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., New York, 3: 174-190.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Agkistrodon piscivorus.
Agkistrodon piscivorus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 12 December 2007.
A. piscivorus at Herps of Texas 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 31 May 2007.
at . Accessed 31 May 2007.
A. p. leucostoma at Texas Parks & Wildlife. Accessed 31 May 2007.
at Houston Herpetological Supply. Accessed 31 May 2007.
A. p. leucostoma at Snakes of Louisiana. Accessed 31 May 2007.
at Saint Louis Zoo. Accessed 31 May 2007.
January 01, 1970
western, cottonmouth, western, cottonmouth, agkistrodon, piscivorus, leucostoma, once, classified, subspecies, cottonmouth, agkistrodon, piscivorus, however, based, studies, published, 2008, 2015, revealed, significant, genetic, difference, between, eastern, c. The western cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma 2 3 4 was once classified as a subspecies of the cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus However DNA based studies published in 2008 and 2015 revealed no significant genetic difference between the eastern cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus and the western cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma and synonymized the two subspecies with the oldest published name A p piscivorus having priority The resulting taxonomy does not recognizes the western cottonmouth A p leucostoma as a valid taxon 5 6 Several subsequent reviews and species accounts have followed and supported the revised taxonomy 7 8 437 p 9 Information on this snake can be found in the Agkistrodon piscivorus article Western cottonmouth Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Squamata Suborder Serpentes Family Viperidae Genus Agkistrodon Species A piscivorus Subspecies A p leucostoma Trinomial name Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Troost 1836 Synonyms 1 Acontias leucostoma Troost 1836 Toxicophis leucostoma Troost 1836 Toxicophis leucostomus Holbrook 1842 Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Gloyd amp Conant 1943 Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostomus H M Smith amp Taylor 1945 Agkistrodon piscivorus F T Burbrink amp T J Guiher 2014 Contents 1 Description 2 Behavior 3 Common names 4 Geographic range 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDescription edit nbsp A p leucostoma juvenile Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma is a stout snake with a thick muscular body It is the smallest of the three subspecies of A piscivorus The average length of mature specimens is 27 5 inches 69 9 cm while the maximum reported length is 62 inches 157 5 cm 10 Adult specimens are usually dark gray or brown with little or no markings although a dorsal color pattern consisting of 10 to 15 dark crossbands can be seen in some specimens 10 Like other members of the species its color darkens with age and very old specimens may appear entirely black Unlike the other two subspecies A p conanti and A p piscivorus the light line that borders the dark cheek strip is usually not present in this subspecies The dorsal scales are keeled in rows of 25 near the midbody and the anal scale is undivided 11 Its broad flat head is distinctly wider than its neck and it has an elliptical cat like pupil By day the pupil appears as a narrow slit at night the pupil is wide and may even look round 12 Behavior editThe animal opens its mouth widely when startled exposing its whitish colored oral mucosa this is the reason it is commonly referred to as the cottonmouth Common names editWestern cottonmouth water moccasin cottonmouth black moccasin blunt tail moccasin northern cottonmouth moccasin stump tail water moccasin viper western cottonmouth moccasin 3 cotton mouthed snake Congo snake trap jaw gapper 10 Geographic range editFound in the United States from southern Alabama along coast of the Gulf of Mexico including many offshore islands to southeastern and central Texas and north to Oklahoma Missouri Illinois Indiana and southeastern Nebraska and western Kentucky 10 The type locality given is western district of Tennessee Schmidt 1953 proposed that this be amended to 10 miles northeast of Bolivar Hardeman County Tennessee 1 References edit a b McDiarmid RW Campbell JA Toure T 1999 Snake Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference vol 1 Herpetologists League 511 pp ISBN 1 893777 00 6 series ISBN 1 893777 01 4 volume Conant R 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Second Edition First published in 1958 Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 429 pp 48 plates ISBN 0 395 19979 4 hc ISBN 0 395 19977 8 pb a b Wright AH Wright AA 1957 Handbook of Snakes Comstock Publishing Associates 7th printing 1985 1105 pp ISBN 0 8014 0463 0 Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 31 May 2007 Guiher TJ Burbrink FT 2008 Demographic and phylogeographic histories of two venomous North American snakes of the genus Agkistrodon Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48 543 553 Burbrink Frank T and Timothy J Guiher 2014 Considering gene flow when using coalescent methods to delimit lineages of North American pitvipers of the genus Agkistrodon Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 173 505 526 Crother B I editor 2017 Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding 8th edition SSAR Herpetological Circular 43 1 102 pp page 59 ISBN 978 1 946681 00 3 Powell Robert Roger Conant and Joseph T Collins 2016 Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America 4th ed Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co New York 494 pp ISBN 978 0 544 12997 9 Uetz P Freed P Aguilar R Hosek J editors 2021 The Reptile Database Agkistrodon piscivorus accessed 6 August 2021 a b c d Gloyd HK Conant R 1990 Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex A Monographic Review Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles 614 pp 52 plates LCCN 89 50342 ISBN 0 916984 20 6 Travis LaDuc David Cannatella 2019 Cottonmouth Herps of Texas Austin Texas Retrieved 2019 06 04 Western Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Wildlife Fact Sheets Austin Texas Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 2019 Retrieved 2019 06 04 Further reading editBarbour RW 1956 A study of the cottonmouth Ancistrodon piscivorus leucostoma Troost in Kentucky Trans Kentucky Acad Sci 17 33 41 Clarke RF 1949 Snakes of the hill parishes of Louisiana Jour Tennessee Acad Sci 24 244 261 Gloyd HK Conant R 1943 A synopsis of the American forms of Agkistrodon copperheads and moccasins Bull Chicago Acad Sci 7 147 170 Holbrook JE 1842 North American herpetology or a description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States Volume 3 Philadelphia Pennsylvania J Dobson London England R Baldwin 3 i ii 3 128 Notes this data is from the 1976 reprint issued by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Schmidt KP 1953 A check list of North American amphibians and reptiles Sixth edition Chicago Illinois Amer Soc Icthyol Herpetol i viii 1 280 Smith HM Taylor EH 1945 An annotated checklist and key to the snakes of Mexico Bull U S Natl Mus 187 1 239 Troost G 1836 On a new genus of serpents and two new species of the genus Heterodon inhabiting Tennessee Ann Lyc Nat Hist New York 3 174 190 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Agkistrodon piscivorus Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma in the CalPhotos photo database University of California Berkeley Agkistrodon piscivorus at the Reptarium cz Reptile Database Accessed 12 December 2007 A piscivorus at Herps of Texas Archived 2012 07 17 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 31 May 2007 A p leucostoma at The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management Accessed 31 May 2007 A p leucostoma at Texas Parks amp Wildlife Accessed 31 May 2007 A p leucostoma at Houston Herpetological Supply Accessed 31 May 2007 A p leucostoma at Snakes of Louisiana Accessed 31 May 2007 A p leucostoma at Saint Louis Zoo Accessed 31 May 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Western cottonmouth amp oldid 1141646093, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
