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Crotalus
Genus of snakes / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the genus of snakes. For the liturgical rattle, see Crotalus (instrument).
Crotalus is a genus of venomous pit vipers, commonly known as rattlesnakes or rattlers,[2] in the family Viperidae. The genus is found only in the Americas from southern Canada to northern Argentina.[1] The generic name Crotalus is derived from the Greek word κρόταλον krótalοn, which means "rattle" or "castanet", and refers to the rattle on the end of the tail, which makes this group (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) so distinctive.[3] As of July 2023, 44[4] to 53[5] species are recognized as valid.
Quick Facts Crotalus, Scientific classification ...
Crotalus | |
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Crotalus horridus, the timber rattlesnake | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Viperidae |
Subfamily: | Crotalinae |
Genus: | Crotalus Linnaeus, 1758 |
Synonyms | |
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