Copperheads are a venomous snake and a member of the Crotalidae family. As you can see, they have triangular shaped heads to house venom glands and strongly keeled scales, both trademarks of Crotalids. Not visible are their elliptical pupils as well as their heat-sensing pits, the better to find warm-blooded prey with even in complete darkness.
I believe he was found under a log - it was cool and rainy that day, so there wasn't much sun for him to bask in. This is around the area where the copperhead was found:
This copperhead was rather small, probably only about a foot(ish) in length. It has a yellow-green tail, which is a trait of juveniles of this species. It is useful for luring prey, as the color sticks out from the otherwise dull monotonous brown of the forest floor where copperheads like to spend their time. The yellow tail may be wiggled in front of the prey, which might not notice the rest of the (quite venomous) snake attached to it!
This can be better seen in this picture (not mine):
We learned on our trip to the aquarium that this yellow tail is a holdover from their evolutionary past. The pit vipers in Asia that our native Crotalids evolved from also retain this juvenile trait! At Caw Caw, we also discussed how younger venomous snakes are not as good at regulating how much venom they inject into their prey (as in, they will inject more than necessary), so getting bit by a juvenile would not be any better of a situation than being bit by an adult.
However, despite the juvenile's yellow tail, they can definitely blend in. The picture below was taken moments after he was released - can you find him among the leaf litter?
Be sure to click on any pictures if you want to view a larger version
Sources:
http://onemoregeneration.org/2011/07/20/trivia-question-for-jul-20-2011/
1 comment:
Lovely!
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