The copperhead is not listed as protected by the State of Georgia Natural Heritage Program. Statusīoth northern and southern copperheads are common in suitable habitat. The other three subspecies occur generally west of the Mississippi River. contortrix - are found in the state with a wide area of overlap in central Georgia. Two subspecies of copperhead - the northern copperhead, A. There are two species in the genus Agkistrodon - the copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix, with five subspecies) and the cottonmouth ( Agkistrodon piscivorus, with three subspecies). TaxonomyĬopperheads and Cottonmouths (Genus Agkistrodon) This publication discusses general aspects of their life history. They range throughout most of Georgia and occupy a variety of habitats. They are secretive but valuable members of the wildlife community in Georgia. Copperheads are not generally aggressive snakes and rarely injure people. The organ is useful in locating food by detecting the body heat of prey species. Pit vipers have a heat-sensing organ in a facial pit located between the eye and the nostril. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesĬopperheads are venomous snakes and members of the pit viper family. Davis & Rice (1883) spelled the genus Ancistrodon.Michael T. Nomenclatural History: Smith (1961) used the spelling mokeson and attributed it to Daudin, 1803, which is incorrect. Original Name: Agkistrodon contortrix (Linnaeus, 1766) Agkistrodon mokason Palisot de Beauvois, 1799. Type Locality: “Carolina” for contortrix. Not stated for mokasen. Type Specimen: Not designated for either contortrix or mokasen. Systema Naturae per Regina tri Naturae secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Original Description: for contortrix: Linnaeus, C. Status: Although probably reduced by habitat destruction and wanton killing by people, it remains locally abundant in the Shawnee Hills and the bluffs along the southern Mississippi River.Įtymology: Agkistrodon – ankistron (Greek) meaning fishhook contortrix – conntortus (Latin) meaning twisted, intricate, complex mokasen – Native American “moccasin” mistransliterated The Massac County record, illustrated above, was inadvertently omitted from the map at left. Predators include other snakes, birds of prey, and medium-sized mammals.ĭistribution Notes: The Fulton County record is USNM 15531 collected 14 August 1889 by W.S. Three to 10 young, 20-25 cm TL, are born in late August or early September. Mates in April and May or September and October. Often seen around old, abandoned buildings where it feeds on rodents. Natural History: This shy snake is active April through October. Habitat: Wooded, rocky hillsides and forest edges, sometimes in meadows and fields during summer. The sulfur yellow tail tip of newborn darkens with maturity. Thin dark line extends from eye to angle of jaw. Belly yellow to brown with brown blotches near the edges. Back yellowish brown or rusty brown with 10-20 reddish brown hourglass-shaped, dark-margined crossbands that are narrow across the back and wider on the sides. contortrix.ĭescription: Large (up to 135 cm TL), stout-bodied venomous snake. mokasen Palisot de Beauvois, 1799 and intergrades with Southern Copperhead, A. See the Key to Illinois Snakes for help with identification. Similar Species: Cottonmouth, Foxsnake, Northern Watersnake. Key Characters: Nine large symmetrical plates on top of head elliptical pupil pit between eye and nostril back with hourglass-shaped crossbands back scales strongly keeled anal plate not divided. VENOMOUS VENOMOUS VENOMOUS VENOMOUS VENOMOUS Copperhead, Gallatin Co., IL Copperhead, Massac Co., IL photo by C.A.
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