:''Common names: pygmy rattlesnake, eastern pygmy rattlesnake, ground rattlesnake, leaf rattler, death rattler, more.'' Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press. (7th printing, 1985). 1,105 pp. (in two volumes). . (''Sistrurus miliarius'', pp. 1052-1061). ''Sistrurus miliarius,'' commonly called the pygmy rattlesnake, is a species of venomous snake in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Crotalinae (pit vipers) of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Southeastern United States. Three

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are currently recognized.

Description

''S. miliarius'' is a small species, with adults usually growing to in total length (including tail). The maximum reported total length is ( Klauber, 1972). Snellings and

Collins Collins may refer to: People Surname Given name * Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat * Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration * Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...

(1997) reported a specimen of ''S. m. barbouri'' measuring , but it had been in captivity for over 12 years. The largest ''S. m. barbouri'' reported by Gloyd (1940) was a specimen measuring from St. Petersburg, Florida.

Shine Shine may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Shine'' (film), a 1996 Australian film based on the life of David Helfgott, a pianist * Shine, a fictional character in the American animated TV series ''Shimmer and Shine'' Lite ...

(1978) suggested that in some populations, males may be larger than females, but a later study by Bishop ''et al.'' (1996) did not find sexual dimorphism of any kind in a population in

Volusia County, Florida Volusia County (, ) is located in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Florida, stretching between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2020 census, the county was home to 553,543 people, an increase of 11.9% from the 20 ...

.Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp. 1,500 plates. . At midbody, the rows of dorsal scales usually number 23. The dorsal pattern consists of a series of oval or subcircular spots with somewhat regular edges. The spots on the flanks are mostly round and not much higher than they are wide. Belly pigmentation towards the rear is more limited to indistinct blotches found on pairs of adjacent scales. Juveniles' color patterns are similar to the adults, although they may be paler or more vividly marked, and the tips of their tails are yellow.

Common names

Common names for ''S. miliarius'' include pygmy rattlesnake, ground rattlesnake, hog-nosed rattlesnake, little rattlesnake, miliar(y) rattlesnake, North American smaller rattlesnake, oak-leaf rattler, pygmy ground rattlesnake, small rattlesnake, southeastern ground rattlesnake, southern ground rattlesnake, southern pygmy rattlesnake, spotted rattler, spotted rattlesnake, southern rattlesnake.U.S. Navy (1991). ''Poisonous Snakes of the World''. New York: United States Government / Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. . Older common names might include bastard rattlesnake, nipple snake, Carolina ground rattlesnake, brick red rattlesnake, Carolina pygmy rattlesnake, Catesby's small snake, dwarf rattlesnake, eastern pygmy rattlesnake, grey rattlesnake, and ground rattler ( Garman, 1887).

Geographic range

''S. miliarius'' is found in the Southeastern United States from southern and eastern North Carolina, south through peninsular Florida and west to East Texas and

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

. The

type locality Type locality may refer to: * Type locality (biology) * Type locality (geology) See also * Local (disambiguation) * Locality (disambiguation) {{disambiguation ...

given is "Carolina". Schmidt (1953) proposed that this be restricted to "

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

Habitat

''Sistrurus miliarius'' reportedly inhabits flatwoods, sandhills, mixed forests, and floodplains, and is also found near lakes and marshes.

Conservation status

This species is classified as least concern on the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001). Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because the population is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. The population trend is stable; it was assessed in 2007. This species is not protected by South Carolina or Georgia state law, but pygmy rattlesnakes are protected in North Carolina and Tennessee.

Behavior

''S. miliarius'' is usually seen in the summer sunning itself or crossing the road late in the day. The tiny rattle makes a buzzing sound that can only be heard from a few feet away. Some individuals are very aggressive and strike furiously, while others seem lethargic and do not even attempt to rattle. Behler JL, King FW (1979). ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. LCCCN 79-2217. . (''Sistrurus miliarius'', pp. 697-698 + Plates 625, 641, 642, 645). Conant R (1975). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition''. (First Edition published in 1958). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company Boston. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1-48. (hardcover), (paperback). (''Sistrurus miliarius'', pp. 232-233 + Plate 35 + Map 177). It does not dig its own

burrow An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of sh ...

s, but rather uses those dug by small rodents or gopher tortoises ('' Gopherus polyphemus'').

Feeding

The diet of ''S. miliarius'' includes small mammals and birds,

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

s, insects, and frogs, as well as other snakes. Pygmy rattlesnakes also include giant desert centipedes in their diet, which they hunt by active pursuit, grabbing and flipping the centipedes around while simultaneously injecting venom to prevent injury by the victim. They also ambush lizards such as skinks by using their tails as lures, as is common in many other species of vipers. Caudal luring becomes less effective for adults, as the prey size and type changes. Their feeding strategy becomes sit-and-wait, with individuals remaining in a coiled position for days at a time.

Venom

Since ''S. miliarius'' is unable to produce much venom, it is unlikely to be able to deliver a fatal bite to a human adult.Norris R (2004). "Venom Poisoning in North American Reptiles". ''In'': Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. 870 pp. 1,500 plates. . This snake produces

cytotoxic Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are an immune cell or some types of venom, e.g. from the puff adder (''Bitis arietans'') or brown recluse spider (''Loxosceles reclusa''). Cell physiology Treating cells ...

venom that is strongly hemorrhagic and tissue toxic, but devoid of any

neurotoxin Neurotoxins are toxins that are destructive to nerve tissue (causing neurotoxicity). Neurotoxins are an extensive class of exogenous chemical neurological insultsSpencer 2000 that can adversely affect function in both developing and mature ner ...

s. The venom was the basis for the development of the drug eptifibatide, which is used to prevent clotting during a heart attack. The venom is somewhat different in that it contains substantial amounts of

serotonin Serotonin () or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Its biological function is complex and multifaceted, modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and numerous physiological processes such as vomiting and vas ...

and related tryptamine compounds.Welsh, 1967

Subspecies

Gallery

File:Sisistrus miliaris.jpg, Carolina pygmy rattlesnake (''S. m. miliarius'') File:Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake - Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest, Felda, Florida.jpg, Dusky pygmy rattlesnake (''S. m. barbouri''), Hendry Co., Florida (3 May 2013) File:Western Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri) (20799317490).jpg, Western pygmy rattlesnake (''S. m. streckeri''), Wayne Co., Missouri (28 August 2015)