Florida cottonmouth

Common card · No. 365157

The Florida cottonmouth (Agkistrodon conanti) is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the United States, where it occurs in southern Georgia and the Florida peninsula in nearly every type of wetlands in the region, including brackish water and offshore islands. However, it is not entirely dependent on water and is occasionally encountered as far as a mile (1.6 km.) from surface water. Agkistrodon conanti venom is very hemolytic and known to cause relatively extensive necrosis compared to many snake venoms, and can sometimes be lethal with a 17% mortality rate. It is often confused with harmless watersnakes (Nerodia) and other semi-aquatic species with which it shares its habitat. It is a moderately large, thick bodied snake, adults averaging 30 to 48 inches (76-122 cm) in length, but rare individuals can exceed 6 feet (183 cm). The head is marked with conspicuous black cheek stripes on each side, set off...

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