Latin Name: Sistrurus catenatus Scope: Statewide . They rely on crayfish burrows and other fissures to access ground water … Characteristics of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Behavior of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Food Habits of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Habitat of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Reproduction and Lifecycle of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Predators of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Adaptations of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Skin Shedding Of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Life Span of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. They also thrive on small lizards, frogs, small snakes and other reptiles as well. Endangered Species Act (Act). The name "Massasauga" comes from a Chippewa Indian word meaning "great river mouth." © 1998 Wiley Unlike these species, the Massasauga has a rattle, vertical pupils and saddle- or butterfly-shaped blotches down its back. The rattlesnake females have a tendency to quit their offspring once they are born. Found throughout Central America, the habitat stretches from southern Canada to the west of Arizona. It is characterized by the presence of a heat sensitive pit between the eye and the nostril, a segmented rattle at the tip of the tail, a vertical eye pupil and keeled scales. 141 pp. After 3 years, only shrub height continued to be greater in CO areas (P = 0.001). The destruction of its habitat has left the population of the eastern massasauga in a decline, and it is being considered to be listed as an endangered species in the US. JSTOR®, the JSTOR logo, JPASS®, Artstor®, Reveal Digital™ and ITHAKA® are registered trademarks of ITHAKA. The eastern massasauga, a rare sight for most Michigan residents, has been declining due to fragmentation and loss of wetland habitat. The eastern massasauga is a small, thick-bodied rattlesnake that lives in shallow wetlands and adjacent uplands in portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ontario. What is the rattle of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake used for? Here are some interesting facts about the massasauga rattlesnake: The name “Massasauga” comes from the Chippewa language, meaning “Great River Mouth”. This has significantly limited open habitats within the East Unit of INDU. Select the purchase We conducted a second experiment to evaluate browsing by mammals and found shrub height increased in all treatment types over the 2 years monitored (P = 0.009) and, at the end of the first year, was consistently greater in CO plots (P = 0.001). Rationale - why we value the species and the problem for the species: The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (EMR) is the only freeranging venomous snake in Michigan. In the fall, snakes return to lowlands in search of crayfish or rodent burrows in which to hibernate (Harding and Holman 2006). The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) is the only venomous snake in Ontario. Has a vertical eye pupil. Wiley has published the works of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Peace. It lives in wet prairies, bogs and old fields. All Rights Reserved. The Act protects the EMR and their habitat … Recovery Plan Recovery Strategy. The body is marked along back and sides with rounded dark blotches against a gray or brownish gray background. These species like to have mammals, insects and other animals in their diet. Fun Facts. The eastern massasauga rattlesnake usually mate between months of April and May. Young rattlesnakes measure approximately nine inches long and have a yellow-tipped tail with a “button” rather than a fully-developed functioning rattle. We coupled species distribution modeling with historical imagery analysis to assess how changes in land use/land cover have influenced the distribution of eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), a federally threatened species, and its habitat in northeastern Ohio over the past ∼75 years. This snake is active in the day, except in the hottest summer months when it becomes nocturnal. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake lives in wet areas including wet prairies, marshes and low areas along rivers and lakes. These species produce clattering sound with the rattles. Required fields are marked *. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is a venomous snake. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, MN 55111-4056 52 pp. The eastern massasauga may be the only snake in Ontario with vertical pupils. The Massasauga is a stout-bodied rattlesnake, usually about 50 to 70 centimetres long. How does the snake use its rattle? Habitat of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake These species usually like to dwell on These species react very slowly in comparison to others of their kind. Every time they shed, a new section appears on their rattle. It is a candidate for federal listing by the U.S. Our online platform, Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) is one of the world’s most extensive multidisciplinary collections of online resources, covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities. Abstract: The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) is rare throughout much of its range, especially where this species is associated with weakly minerotrophic peatlands. It is seen that these species reproduce either each year or in some cases, every alternate year. The Massasauga is a venomous rattlesnake species found in midwestern North America. Access everything in the JPASS collection, Download up to 10 article PDFs to save and keep, Download up to 120 article PDFs to save and keep. The massasauga is the state's only venomous snake and rattlesnake… https://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/reptiles/eama/eama-fct-sht.html Your email address will not be published. There is a lot of misinformation about this snake out there and most of it has to do with the snake’s size and appearance. 1993. International symposium and workshop on the conservation of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake Sistrurus catenatus catenatus. Like all rattlesnakes, it belongs to the pit viper family. Cryptic patterns and coloration serve to break up the shape of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake to better disguise it in vegetation, rocks, leaves, and shadows. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (EMR) is listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Johnson, B. and V. Menzies, eds. Below the saddles there is another large spot of the same color and outline. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Habitat categorization for Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) Gestation sites and the area within 30 m, and overwintering sites and the area within 100 m Open and semi-open habitat with suitable microhabitat, as well as forest edge habitat, that is within 1.2 km of an occurrence of the species Forest within 1.2 km of an occurrence of the species The massasauga is the state's only venomous snake and rattlesnake… Metropolitan Toronto Zoo, West Hill, Ontario, Canada. Our core businesses produce scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising; professional books, subscription products, certification and training services and online applications; and education content and services including integrated online teaching and learning resources for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Throughout its range, biologists have confirmed that less than half of the eastern massasauga’s historical populations still exist. The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) was placed on the Wisconsin endangered species list in 1975. To the left you can see the range of the eastern massasauga in Wisconsin. The eastern massasauga rattlesnakes are found from the upper Midwest to New York here in the United States. They like to live in open areas (like meadows and prairies in which you may find alfalfa or cows) around marshes, lakes, and rivers. If you think one of these snakes has bitten someone, seek medical help immediately. These species have their poisonous variety only in Michigan and Ontario. The current status of massasauga rattlesnake populations in Wisconsin is uncertain. The eastern massasauga is listed as an endangered species in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri (also considered extirpated), New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. U.S. Massasauga rattlesnakes range from central New York and southern Ontario west to the prairies of Iowa and Missouri. The species requires very specific microhabitat features within these habitats for mating, hunting and especially thermoregulation. Highlighted below are some amazing facts about these awesome species: Distribution of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. EMR is state listed as “species of special concern” (Michigan DNR 2015). These species usually live for about 18 years. From October to April these species stay very inactive with low metabolic rate. The eastern massasauga has been declining over the past three decades due to loss and fragmentation of its wetland habitat. Records suggest that the eastern massasauga was frequently encountered in the vicinity of present-day Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (INDU) until the 1930s. 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