The Cottonmouth is a venomous species of snake that is native to much of the South-Eastern parts of the United Snakes.
This snake is a venomous Pit Viper that has powerful cytotoxic venom that can destroy tissue and in extreme cases can lead to amputations.
When threatened, these snakes will often hold their ground with their mouths wide open exposing the white lining of their mouths, hence the name Cottonmouth.
Cottonmouth Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Cottonmouth Snake belongs to is called Viperidae or simply the Viper family of snakes.
This is one of the most popular families of venomous snakes in the world along with the Elapid family.
Vipers are found throughout most of the world but an interesting fact about vipers is that they are not native to Australia. The majority of venomous snakes in Australia are from the Elapid family.
Even though Australia has ‘Adders’, such sa the Common Death Adder, these ‘Adders’ are not related to the ‘Viper’ Adders of Africa and actually belong to the Elapid Family.
Some other well known species of vipers include the Berg Adder, the Common Lancehead, the Bamboo Viper, the Desert Horned Viper and the Eastern Copperhead Snake.
Genus
The genus that the Cottonmouth Snake belongs to is called Agkistrodon. The species in this genus are commonly known as American moccasins.
There are currently 8 recognised species in this genus and they can be found in parts of North and Central America.
Some of the other species in this genus include the Cantil, the Eastern Copperhead, the Broad-Banded Copperhead and the Gloyd’s Moccasin.
Species
The scientific name for the Cottonmouth is Agkistrodon piscivorus and there are currently two recognised sub-species.
The nominate sub-species Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus is known as the Northern or Eastern Cottonmouth.
The other sub-species, Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma is known as the Western Cottonmouth.
Cottonmouth Description
The Cottonmouth Snake is a large species that can grow to a length of up to 1.8m with males typically being longer and heavier than females.
Adults can vary in coloration from a black, brown or olive base color with darker, usually black crossbands running the length of their bodies.
The crossbands usually have a dumbbell shape to them and are typically darker on the outsides.
The banding typically starts off lighter and darkens as it moves down along the snake’s body, usually becoming completely black on the end of the tail.
Their head is large and ‘spade shaped’ and they usually have dark brown or black patches on their chin.
Juveniles are typically brighter in color and have a yellow tip on the end of their tail. As the snakes are much lighter, the bands on the snakes are much more visible.
The lining of the snake’s mouth is white. When threatened, they will often open their mouth and face their aggressor, exposing the white mouth. This is where they get the name Cottonmouth.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Cottonmouth Snake is native to the South-Eastern United States where it can be found as far North as the James River in Virginia.
They can be found as far West as the Western parts of Missouri to Western Texas while they can be found as far South as the Florida Keys.
Their range extends through places such as North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas. Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee.
They share some of their geographical range with species such as the Banded Water Snake, the Brahminy Blind Snake, the American Alligator and the Mud Snake.
The Cottonmouth Snake likes to live in wetland environments but can also be found in drier areas with dense vegetation.
They are a semi-aquatic species so they are almost always found close to a water source such as lakes, slow moving ricers, creeks and marshes.
Cottonmouth Behaviour
The Cottonmouth Snake is a solitary animal and they don’t tend to wander from their home range.
They are a nocturnal species, meaning they are mostly active at night and sleep during the day.
They are a semi-aquatic species that are always found near a body of water and will rarely be found more than 500m from their water source.
Juveniles can sometimes be found a little further away. This is likely due to them searching for their own piece of territory.
The Cottonmouth Snake can be considered an aggressive species as they will often bite or show other forms of aggressive behaviour when disturbed or provoked.
When they sense a threat, they will often shake or vibrate their tail against the ground and leaf litter creating a vibrating rustling sound somewhat like a snake’s rattle.
They will also coil up into a strike position with their head elevated and their mouth open exposing the white lining of their mouth.
