The tiger rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris) is a highly venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
[3] The specific name tigris, (Latin for 'tiger'), refers to the many narrow dorsal crossbands, which create a pattern of vertical stripes when viewed from the side.
[5] The tiger rattlesnake is easily identified by its small, spade-shaped head, which is about 1/25 of its total body length.
[13] Tiger rattlesnakes habitats include rocky desert canyons, foothills, and bajadas, in vegetation zones ranging from thornscrub, ocotillo-mesquite-creosote bush, saguaro-paloverde, mesquite grassland, and chaparral to tropical deciduous forest (southern Sonora) and the lower edge of oak woodland.
[4][9][12] In southeastern Arizona, this snake occurs strictly in rocky areas in winter and spring, but uses edges of arroyos in summer.
Tiger rattlesnakes have also often been observed in the foothills, rocky canyons, and ravines of deserts or mesquite grasslands from 1,000 to 5,000 ft (300 to 1,520 m) in elevation, throughout their geographic range.
They rattlesnakes also inhabit escarpments, outcroppings, and cliff faces in thorny scrub desert habitat.
[7][12][15] In southeastern Arizona, mean home range size was 3.48 ha (0.0134 sq mi), and individuals moved an average of 33 m (108 ft) per day during the active season.
[14] Tiger rattlesnakes are terrestrial snakes and are nocturnal during the hot summer (June–August), but become diurnal and crepuscular during the fall season.
[18][19] This species' venom is considered the most toxic of all rattlesnakes, and contains a myotoxin known to cause muscle necrosis and a neurotoxin similar to Mojave toxin.
Like all pit vipers, tiger rattlesnakes inject venom into prey through long, hollow, retractable fangs.
Males follow a seasonal reproductive cycle, where sperm is stored in the vasa deferentia during winter.
She eats early in the pregnancy and then finds a safe place to hide while providing the optimal thermal environment for development.
Once born, neonates break through the embryonic sac and travel a short distance to a safe nook with its siblings.
[24] Its extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of subpopulations, and population size are probably relatively stable or declining at a rate of less than 10% over 10 years or three generations.
[1] Southern populations on the flatter areas of the coastal plain of Sonora are probably losing habitat due to the intensification of agriculture.
[1] Although tiger rattlesnakes are reluctant to strike, they are highly venomous and cantankerous, so pose a potential threat to humans.
Additionally, tiger rattlesnakes prey upon a number of rodent species considered pests by humans throughout their geographic range.
Tiger rattlesnakes feed on a number of small vertebrate species and likely help regulate their abundance and distribution.
The several recorded human envenomations by tiger rattlesnakes produced little local pain, swelling, or other reaction following the bite, and despite the toxicity of its venom no significant systemic symptoms.
Untreated mortality rate is unknown but this snake has a very high venom toxicity and its bites are capable of producing major envenomation.