Mexican Pygmy Rattlesnake

Fascinating facts about the Mexican Pygmy Rattlesnake

• A study using mitochondrial DNA suggests that the Mexican pigmy rattlesnake is part of a species complex that includes Crotalus triseriatus, Crotalus pusillus, Crotalus aquilus, and Crotalus lepidus.
• Adults usually measure 40–65 cm (16–26 in), and some individuals can exceed 70 cm (28 in).
• The snake inhabits the highlands of central and southern Mexico, ranging from the southeastern Mexican Plateau through Morelos, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, to Guerrero’s Sierra Madre del Sur, all west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Its presence across such a broad swath of rugged terrain underscores the adaptability of a species confined to a single country.
• It lives between roughly 1,490 m (4,890 ft) and just over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) above sea level.
• Although the IUCN rates it as Least Concern, Mexico listed the species as threatened in 2010, highlighting a gap between global assessments and local realities. It reminds conservationists that national protections can be vital even for species not deemed endangered worldwide.

At a glance

About the Mexican Pygmy Rattlesnake

The Mexican pygmy rattlesnake, Crotalus ravus, is a compact, moderately stout pit viper that usually grows to a length of 40–65 centimetres, though some individuals may exceed 70 cm. Its most distinctive features in the nominate subspecies include unusually large, variably shaped parietal scales, fewer than three prefoveal scales, a midbody count of 21 dorsal scales, two to four tail bands, and a relatively large rattle. These snakes occur in the highland forests and temperate zones of central and southern Mexico, from the southeastern Mexican Plateau through Morelos, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, and the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, at elevations roughly from 1,490 metres (4,890 ft) to just over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft).

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