Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Sistrurus, Species: S. miliarius
Southeastern United States, primarily found throughout the Florida peninsula and extending into southern Georgia and parts of neighboring states.
Look up Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Crotalinae, Genus: Sistrurus, Species: S. miliarius
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, though local populations face habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and intentional destruction.
Physical Description
Features a dark brown to gray body pattern with distinct darker, rounded dorsal blotches and a row of spots along the flanks. The head is distinct from the neck with a broad, triangular shape. The tail terminates in a very small, slender rattle, which often exhibits a yellowish or greenish tint in juveniles as seen in this specimen.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is approximately 10 to 14 inches (juvenile). Typical adults reach total lengths of 15 to 24 inches, with a maximum recorded length of around 31 inches.
Habitat
Flatwoods, prairies, marshes, cypress swamps, and mixed pine-hardwood forests, often near bodies of water or low-lying wet areas.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on amphibians, lizards, small mice, and invertebrates. Utilizes an ambush hunting strategy, often remaining motionless in leaf litter or vegetation to wait for passing prey.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives birth to live young). Mating typically occurs in spring, with females giving birth to litters averaging 3 to 14 young in late summer or early autumn.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, though local populations face habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and intentional destruction.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important ecological role as a predator of small rodents and amphibians, helping to control local prey populations within its native wetland and forest ecosystems.
Notable Features
Notable for having an exceptionally small rattle that produces a buzzing sound resembling an insect rather than a typical rattle sound. Juveniles like the one pictured often display a bright yellow or chartreuse tail tip used to lure prey.