Talk:Crotalus scutulatus

Links to interesting information

I'm saving some links for myself or others that lead to interesting external articles on this subject.

Great article on rattler venom Identify a mojave --NationalPark 07:12, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

The first link is interesting, but that information belongs in the snake venom article; we already mention type A and B Mojave venoms. The second links contains information that is mostly is already in this article, although it does contain some nice images; I'll add it to the external links. --Jwinius 12:07, 8 April 2007 (UTC)

Article expansion

I've added the initial framework of a larger (though not much larger) article. Much of what is interesting about this rattlesnake is common to all rattlesnakes -- how much of such information should be repeated here? Perhaps a template for rattlesnakes that can be used in all rattlesnake articles? --Bad carpet 16:49, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Aggressive disposition

This was added to the article and I removed it : "They are extremely agressive and extremley territorial."

Some personal accounts of the Mojave rattler depict it as a more aggressive snake than other rattlers, however in 'scientific' literature this is either not mentioned or is contradicted. Without real substance I think we should leave this subjective description out. That said -- it would be interesting to know if one of the deadliest snakes in NA really is also one of the meanest or if it is just legend. --Bad carpet 18:37, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

I have personally kept a Mojave (in fact I uploaded the current photo, it's my snake pictured), and the reputation appears to be deserved. Nevertheless, you are correct that behavioral traits like aggressiveness in snakes are largely just anecdotal evidence, I've certainly not conducted a study on the relative aggression of Mojaves compared to other rattlers. As such it deserves no more than a qualified mention, if that. 03/05/06 Lvthn13

Betcha' aggressiveness can be directly correlated to the ambient temperature at the time of the meeting between venemous reptile and the hairless ape known as homo sapiens sapiens. Well, harless IS a subjective term since humans have lotsa' hair but the "hairless ape" term is used as a comparison to other primates who, in comparison to us human critters, are definitely hirsuite and need of a haircut and a shave.Obbop 23:56, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

Grew up in the Mojave. We used to find these in our yards/garages, sometimes. They mostly just sit there. Never got aggressive. You just pick them up with a shovel, put them in a bag, and drive them out to the desert. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.77.144.5 (talk) 15:31, 11 August 2008 (UTC)

Let's hope "political correctness" is not interfering with good science here. Sometimes scientists are afraid to publish observations of aggressive wild animal behavior for fear of being labled "anti-conservationist". Ridiculous really, because we can still conserve aggressive animal species and the public also deserves accurate safety information.

This paradoxically also improves conservation of more aggressive and dangerous animals, whereas as whitewashing danger-related issues actually causes more negative human-animal experiences, which can increase killing or displacing of more aggressive species. Telling the whole truth and learning how to live with these species is a far better approach than politically correct white-washing. 184.183.173.20 (talk) 23:24, 10 July 2012 (UTC)

Toxin

Removed this addition from general description "That is because Mojave rattlesnakes have a nuerotoxin instead of a hemotoxin. Nuerotoxin goes straight to the nervous system and quickly kills the prey whereas hemotoxin poisons the bloodstream and takes a while to kill the prey."

This presence of neurotoxin is covered in the toxin section of the article. What isn't included are the effects of neurotoxin (I'd decided not to include effects since they can be found at referenced links hemotoxin and neurotoxin however if it would add to the article to describe impacts of evenomation, maybe we should put it in. --Bad carpet 18:42, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Evolution

Something I myself considered, and discussed with a professional in the field, is the Grenard article concerning the evolution of neurotoxins in rattlesnake venom. It is my opinion, but more authoritatively his, that this article presents what amounts to bunk science. While it is theoretically "relevant" to this entry (C. scutulatus), it should perhaps be considered for removal on the basis of misleading information. Evolution does not occur nearly as quickly as Mr. Grenard seems to imply it can, and there are no verifiable mechanisms to justify the course of evolution he suggests. Said professional's opinion is that rattlesnake venom has simply been inadequately studied, and the emerging discovery of neurotoxins in the typically hemotoxic crotalines is perhaps more symptomatic of our failure to take notice of them before, due to inadequate research. - Lvthn13

• Agreed. Removed reference. --Bad carpet 19:54, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

"Illuminesent" coloration?

Today, I removed the following unsourced statement that had been added to the description section by someone without an account (12.0.250.190):

"The mohave greens emitt an illuminesent green-gold color only during the brightest times of the day that does not cross over to film and photography well, they loose this coloration when the sunlight fades in the afternoon. From dusk to the mid morning they resemble the western diamondback in apearence. The brown mohaves have the same stunning illuminessant glow at the same times of the day but have a brilliant yellow-gold glitter. There is no other animal in the animal kingdom that rivals their beauty when "lit up" durring a bright sunny day. They can easily be seen from seventy five to a hundred yards away in the sunlight, they are that bright."

Judging from the way this was written, it sounds to me like something that was said on a TV show. I actually looked into the subject of flourescense last month. In my 1997 edition of Klauber's Rattlesnakes, he states that Atkins (1948) reports that rattlesnakes and copperheads flouresce a bright green under ultraviolet light. Unfortunately, Klauber himself could not confirm this. He tested a number of rattlesnake subspecies, including ruber, helleri, lutosus, cerastes and lateropens, but could detect no flourescense. Only the rattles had a slight flourescense, which was usually yellowish. Also, he found that the fangs flouresced brightly, with a light-green color. Klauber may not have tested scutulatus, but since Campbell and Lamar (2004) don't mention anything about flourescense in this species, I remain skeptical about the 12.0.250.190's statement unless it can be backed up by a reliable reference (not just a link to a website). --Jwinius 09:56, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Luminescence is not floresence. Human red hair is luminescent in bright light for example, because it captures light, which builds up within it, and is then released with a coppery "glow" effect. Floresence is completely different though, a rattlesnake floreses under UV light because electrons are being excited by the specific wavelengths of UV light, thus causing a totally different kind of "glowing" effect. Daytime luminesence of the Mohave Green would therefore be a totally different process from ultraviolet light aimed at very the same snake in the dark. 184.183.173.20 (talk) 23:35, 10 July 2012 (UTC)

External links modified

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External links modified

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Behavior

I have read where most rattlers will avoid conflict with people, this one does not back down when confronted. Can someone speak authoritatively to that? Jokem (talk) 03:26, 10 May 2022 (UTC) https://animalia.bio/mojave-rattlesnake Jokem (talk) 03:28, 10 May 2022 (UTC)

That link is not a reliable scientific reference. I have caught hundreds of Mohave rattlesnakes - they tend to be a bit more nervous *on average* than some other species, but they certainly aren't aggressive. They will of course defend themselves energetically if threatened. See Chapter by Mike Cardwell in Rattlesnakes of Arizona. Caissaca (talk) 21:09, 26 May 2022 (UTC)