第 0450 號，共 1 402 號

Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

名字的由來： The scientific name translates from Greek and Latin as "hook-toothed fish-eater".1

需要看醫生很少致命，但被咬了需要看醫生。

蝮蛇

咬吃：魚類

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

The cottonmouth is a large, venomous pit viper that lives in the southeastern United States. It is one of the few vipers in the world that spends much of its life in water. Its bite is painful and can be fatal, so it is important to recognise it and give it plenty of space.1

分布在

Southeastern United States, from southeast Virginia south through the Florida peninsula and west to Arkansas and Oklahoma1

北美洲

首頁

It is usually found in or near water, especially slow-moving, shallow lakes, streams, swamps and marshes. It also enters bays and estuaries and swims between barrier islands and the mainland.1

長度

65 cm 到 1,9 m (2,1 ft 到 6,2 ft)1

體重

201 g 到 580 g (7 oz 到 1,3 lb)1

最高速度

大約 3,6 km/h（2,2 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

Its name means fish-eater. Young snakes wiggle the tips of their tails to lure prey animals.1

Cottonmouth 的照片 — Cottonmouth。照片：kirk gardner。 CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist.

怎麼認出牠

Adults commonly exceed 80 cm in total length, and it is the largest species in its genus.1
Most adults are almost or totally black, with the head and facial markings as the main exceptions.1
Younger snakes have dark crossbands on a lighter tan, brown or reddish-brown ground colour. The tail tip is yellowish in juveniles and black in adults.1
Eastern populations have a broad, dark stripe running back from the eye along the side of the head.1
When threatened it gapes, showing the white lining of its mouth.1

常被誤認為： The copperhead is often confused with the cottonmouth, especially when young. The cottonmouth has a broad dark stripe on the side of the head, while the copperhead has only a thin dark line. Watersnakes of the genus Nerodia look similar, with thick bodies and large heads, but they have round pupils and no loreal pit.1

毒液力量

咬

咬的時候，毒液會從毒牙或牙齒出來。

牠的毒液有什麼作用？

The venom is rich in cytotoxic components that destroy tissue, and it is more toxic than the copperhead's venom. It does not contain the neurotoxic components found in many rattlesnakes, so it does not usually cause whole-body reactions. Symptoms commonly include bruising and swelling, and necrosis, or death of tissue, can occur.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

Deaths are rare, but bites are relatively frequent in the lower Mississippi River Valley and along the Gulf of Mexico coast. A bite can leave scars and, on occasion, may require amputation. The pain is generally more severe than a copperhead bite but less than a rattlesnake bite. Stressed snakes, and larger snakes, are more likely to strike.1

好消息：醫生有藥（抗毒血清）或治療方法。1

牠害怕時會做什麼？

When threatened it may coil its body, display its fangs and gape to show the white lining of its mouth. It often stands its ground rather than fleeing.1

如果牠咬人

Bites can be effectively treated with CroFab antivenom.1
讓傷者保持不動和冷靜，讓被咬的手臂或腿保持在和心臟一樣的高度，取下戒指和緊身的東西，並趕快送醫院。

一定要先打緊急電話（112、000、911）。這是一般急救指引，不是醫療建議。急救基本知識

注意安全

絕對不要碰、抓或捉弄野生動物，就算是很小的動物，就算牠看起來在睡覺或已經死了也一樣。
給牠空間。如果遇到了，保持冷靜，慢慢往後退，讓牠自己離開。
如果被牠咬了：保持冷靜，保持不動，打緊急電話（112、000、911）或趕快去醫院。記住牠的樣子，有照片會很有幫助。

牠不是想來抓你。牠用毒液來捕捉食物或保護自己，而且牠更想躲起來。更多安全知識

在世界上的哪裡？

非洲亞洲歐洲北美洲南美洲澳洲與大洋洲

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

牠有多重？

跟 5 根香蕉一樣重

跟 4 隻家貓從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 11 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長可以在 100 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

Cottonmouth 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡做算術。什麼都不會儲存，也不會傳送到任何地方。

牠有多快？

一隻陸龜 大約 0,3 km/h (0,19 mph)

Cottonmouth 大約 3,6 km/h (2,2 mph)

一個正在走路的人 大約 5 km/h (3,1 mph)

值得知道

小知識

Young snakes wiggle the tips of their tails to attract prey.1

It swims with its body near the surface and appears to float on top of the water.1

The average venom yield is about 125 mg dried, and the human lethal dose is unknown but has been estimated at 100 to 150 mg.1

It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers, and it is the most aquatic species in its genus.1

One researcher reported encountering these snakes on countless occasions, often almost stepping on them, without ever being bitten.1

破解迷思

迷思： Any snake called a water moccasin is venomous.

真相： The name water moccasin refers to the venomous cottonmouth. Many scientists dislike the name because it causes confusion with nonvenomous water snakes, which look similar.1