The eastern massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus, is a small rattlesnake species native to midwestern North America. Their common name "massasauga" means "great river mouth" in the Ojibwe language and is believed to describe the grasslands where these animals are native. They prefer wet habitats such as marshes, wet prairies, and low areas along bodies of water.
They are often referred to generally as the massasauga, but some of their other names include black rattler, grey rattlesnake, prairie rattlesnake, spotted rattler, and a handful of others. They are listed as "endangered," "threatened," or "species of special concern" in the states they occur.
Rattlesnakes are usually the source of many fears, and many snakes often get mistaken for them. The following picture list contains some non-venomous examples that may be difficult to differentiate to the untrained eye. One way to identify a massasauga is to visually identify its rattle (from afar, generally it is good practice to keep your distance from any wildlife). You cannot rely on the sound of a rattle because many non-venomous snakes actually make the same motion or mimic the sound to scare off predators.
The massasauga rattlesnake is part of the viperidae (viper) family and furthermore the crotaline (pit viper/adder) sub-family, meaning that it is venomous. It sports two large, hollow primary fangs that it uses to inject venom into prey.
The venom of the massasauga is cytotoxic, meaning it destroys cells, and contains anticoagulant enzymes that prevent blood clotting.
Venom serves as a means to efficiently capture prey, but can also be used as an offensive measure against threats. Rattlesnakes developed their signature rattle alongside this as an adaptation to have a way to warn predators not to approach in the first place.
Just as some animals can evolve to mimic the coloration of dangerous animals, mimicry can also develop for behaviors. Many snakes will "buzz" their tails against the ground rapidly to make a rattling sound when they feel threatened.
Did you find this information interesting? Be sure to check out this project that I worked on, covering a story map of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake and its ecological history right here in Chicago!
There's a ton more information and pictures to see there!
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