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An older snake may shed its skin only once or twice a year, but a younger, still-growing snake, may shed up to four times a year. [18] The discarded skin gives a perfect imprint of the scale pattern and it is usually possible to identify the snake if this discard is reasonably complete and intact.
Snakeskin may either refer to the skin of a live snake, the shed skin of a snake after molting, or to a type of leather that is made from the hide of a dead snake. Snakeskin and scales can have varying patterns and color formations, providing protection via camouflage from predators. [1]
The western diamondback rattlesnake [3] or Texas diamond-back [4] (Crotalus atrox) is a rattlesnake species and member of the viper family, found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like all other rattlesnakes and all other vipers, it is venomous .
Rattlesnake skin has a set of overlapping scales that cover the entire body, providing protection from a variety of threats, including dehydration and physical trauma. [65] The typical rattlesnake, genus Crotalus , has the top of its head covered with small scales, except, with a few species, a few crowded plates directly over the snout. [ 66 ]
However, the rattle is fragile and may break off, and the frequency of shedding can vary. So, the snake's age cannot be determined by the number of segments or length of the rattle. The color pattern varies greatly, but generally reflects the color of the rock in the snake's natural environment.
Just prior to shedding, the skin becomes dull and dry looking and the snake's eyes turn cloudy or blue-coloured. The old layer of skin splits near the mouth and the snake wriggles out, aided by rubbing against rough surfaces. In many cases the cast skin peels backward over the body from head to tail, in one piece like an old sock.
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Common names: red diamond rattlesnake, red rattlesnake, red diamond snake, [3] more. Crotalus ruber is a venomous pit viper species found in southwestern California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. [4]