Herpetofauna: One Life's List

Crotalus molossus nigrescens
Mexican Blacktailed Rattlesnake

Sonora, Mexico
August 22, 2011

We were cruising a mountain road one rainy night, just a few miles from the border with Chihuahua, when this rattlesnake appeared in our headlights.  It was one of several Blacktails we would find on our Mexican herp odyssey.  One of the things I like about molossus is that each dorsal scale is of a single color, making for distinct and beautiful patterns.