第 0518 號，共 1 402 號

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

可能致命不治療的話可能會害死你。如果牠咬了你，要趕快求救。

咬吃：肉

The western diamondback rattlesnake is a large, venomous pit viper that lives in the southwestern United States and the northern half of Mexico. It is thought to cause most snakebite deaths in northern Mexico and more snakebites in the United States than any other snake. Its diamond-shaped back markings and loud rattle make it easier to recognise, but it should always be given plenty of space.1

分布在

Southwestern United States and the northern half of Mexico, from central Arkansas to southeastern California1

北美洲

首頁

It lives in places from flat coastal plains to steep rocky canyons, including desert, scrub and pine-oak forest. It is often seen on warm blacktop roads, and in growing towns such as Phoenix and Tucson it is met by homeowners more often.1

長度

2,1 m (7 ft)1

體重

6,7 kg (15 lb)1

最高速度

大約 3,9 km/h（2,4 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

Small mammals make up most of its diet, at 94.8% by weight in one Texas study. It also eats birds, lizards, amphibians and fish, and it hunts or ambushes prey at night or in the early morning.1

Western diamondback rattlesnake 的照片 — Western diamondback rattlesnake。照片：Sam Kieschnick。 CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist.

怎麼認出牠

Usually khaki in colour, though it may also be pinkish, brick red, yellowish blonde or white.1
A row of 23 to 45 brown or dark umber blotches runs along the back, becoming diamond-shaped towards the middle of the body.1
The tail has two to eight black bands, usually four to six, separated by white or grey.1
A grey or umber stripe runs diagonally from the eye across the side of the head, usually edged below by a white stripe.1

常被誤認為： The Mojave rattlesnake also has banded tail rings, but its black rings are narrow compared with the pale ones. The timber rattlesnake has no tail rings, and the black-tailed rattlesnake has a uniform black tail or indistinct rings.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？

Its venom is mainly hemotoxic, which means it mainly damages blood vessels, blood cells and the heart. It contains enzymes that break down tissue, along with cytotoxins and myotoxins that destroy cells and muscle. Local effects include pain, heavy internal bleeding, severe swelling, muscle damage, bruising, blistering and tissue death, and general effects may include headache, nausea and vomiting.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 非常危險如果沒有治療，牠可能會害死一個人。

It is thought to be responsible for most snakebite deaths in northern Mexico and for the greatest number of snakebites in the United States. It can deliver a large amount of venom in one bite.1

牠害怕時會做什麼？

When threatened it usually coils and rattles to warn off attackers, and it is unusually willing to stand its ground. If rattling does not work, it will strike.1

如果牠咬人

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 1,5 隻家貓一樣重

跟 4 隻家貓從鼻子接到尾巴一樣長跟 12 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長大約跟一隻家貓一樣重可以在 92 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

Western diamondback rattlesnake 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)

Western diamondback rattlesnake 大約 3,9 km/h (2,4 mph)

一個正在走路的人 大約 5 km/h (3,1 mph)

值得知道

小知識

It can go up to two years without food in the wild. In a starvation study, snakes cut their energy use by an average of 80% and still grew, as they put resources into muscle and bone.1

A juvenile was once found dead after trying to swallow a horned lizard, whose horns punctured its gullet.1

It is likely the second largest rattlesnake species, behind only its close relative the eastern diamondback rattlesnake.1

It is one of the few snake species that scavenges for food.1

Among rattlesnakes, it may be the most adaptable to towns and suburbs, and it thrives deep within developed areas.1

It is an important predator of small rodents, rabbits and birds, and it is itself eaten by coyotes, foxes, hawks and owls.1