Florida Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon conanti • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: Agkistrodon conanti
Endemic to the southeastern United States, primarily found throughout the Florida peninsula, extending into southern Georgia and extreme southern Alabama, as well as several barrier islands.
Look up Florida Cottonmouth in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Agkistrodon, Species: Agkistrodon conanti
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Populations are locally abundant, though facing localized threats from habitat destruction, fragmentation, and direct human persecution.
Physical Description
Heavy-bodied snake with a broad, distinct triangular head and a dark stripe running from the eye to the angle of the jaw. The body is dark brown or nearly black dorsally with obscured or faint crossbands, and lighter lateral markings.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is approximately 90 to 120 cm (36 to 48 inches). Typical adult size ranges from 75 to 120 cm, with maximum recorded lengths approaching 189 cm.
Habitat
Found near bodies of water such as cypress swamps, river floodplains, marshes, lakes, streams, and temporary wetlands. Occupies elevations from sea level up to several hundred meters, utilizing fallen logs, dense vegetation, and rock piles for microhabitat cover.
Diet & Feeding
Generalist carnivore feeding on fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and birds. Employs an ambush hunting strategy, often remaining stationary near water edges to strike passing prey.
Reproduction
Viviparous (live-bearing), producing litters typically ranging from 5 to 16 young. Mating occurs in spring or autumn, and females give birth in late summer or early autumn.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with various harmless watersnakes (Nerodia species), which generally have rounder heads, lack the prominent facial stripe, and possess round pupils compared to the vertical slit pupils of this species.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Populations are locally abundant, though facing localized threats from habitat destruction, fragmentation, and direct human persecution.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital role in wetland ecosystems by controlling populations of small mammals, amphibians, and fish. Often misunderstood and feared by humans, leading to unwarranted negative encounters.
Notable Features
Features heat-sensing loreal pits between the eye and nostril used for detecting endothermic prey. Known for displaying a characteristic defensive posture by gaping its mouth to reveal a white interior when threatened.