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What the sources say

Western Diamondback RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 45 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Ingmarsson 2002

Ingmarsson (2002). Crotalus atrox (Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysA desert pit viper with a heat-sensing pit on each side of its head
The source saysLike all Pit Vipers, it has a pit organ, which is situated in an indentation of the upper jaw, between the nostril and eye.Note: tagline; desert from ADW biomes
The page saysDry, rocky, shrub-covered terrain, from California to Texas and into Mexico
The source saysWestern Diamondback Rattlesnakes inhabit dry, rocky, shrub-covered terrainNote: stats.habitat
The page saysDry, rocky, shrub-covered terrain, from California to Texas and into Mexico
The source saysranges from central and western Texas, through southern New Mexico and Arizona, and into southern California. It also extends well into central Mexico.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysSmall mammals and birds, sometimes reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates
The source sayspreys on small mammals and birds, and sometimes other reptiles and amphibians, and even fish and invertebratesNote: stats.diet
The page saysThe western diamondback has a plump body and a broad triangular head
The source sayshas a plump body, short tail, and a broad triangular head
The page saysLike all pit vipers, it has a pit organ in an indentation of the upper jaw, between the nostril and the eye
The source saysLike all Pit Vipers, it has a pit organ, which is situated in an indentation of the upper jaw, between the nostril and eye.
The page saysEach pit is about 5 mm deep
The source saysThe pit is about 5 mm deep
The page saysA thin membrane inside it senses very slight temperature differences between the snake's body and its surroundings
The source saysThe membrane senses very slight temperature differences between the snake's inner and ambient temperatures.
The page saysAn adult is about 1.5 m long
The source saysBody length: ~1.5 meters
The page saysBody weight is up to 6.7 kg
The source saysBody weight: up to 6.7 kg.
The page saysThe tail ends in a rattle
The source saysThe Western Diamond Rattlesnake also has the self-named rattle on the end of the tail.
The page saysEach link is the remnant of a molted skin: as the snake molts, the last scale loosens but does not fall off
The source saysEach link of the rattle is the remnant of a molted skin; as the snake molts, the last scale loosens but does not fall off.
The page saysThis species can shake its rattle 40 to 60 times a second
The source saysTheir rattles can activate at 40 to 60 cycles a second.Note: ADW 2002 only; cycles rendered as shakes
The page saysThe rattle is a warning sign
The source saysTheir rattles are used as a warning sign.
The page saysThe snake is not apt to attack offensively, but is defensive
The source saysThey are not apt to attack offensively, but are defensive.
The page saysWhen threatened it slightly flattens its body, coils, lifts its front end into an S-shape and keeps the tail raised
The source saysThe Western Diamondback assumes the threat posture by slightly flattening the body, rolling it together into a spiral, lifting the forebody from the ground into an S-shape, and keeping the tail raised and the rattle rattling.
The page saysThe snake lives in dry, rocky, shrub-covered terrain, hiding in rock crevices or mouse holes
The source saysinhabit dry, rocky, shrub-covered terrain where they can conceal themselves inside crevices in the rocks or in mouse holes
The page saysIt preys on small mammals and birds, sometimes reptiles and amphibians, and even fish and invertebrates
The source sayspreys on small mammals and birds, and sometimes other reptiles and amphibians, and even fish and invertebrates
The page saysLive. The species is ovoviviparous: the young pierce their thin egg membranes just before birth
The source saysThis species is ovoviviparous; the young pierce their thin egg membranes immediately before birth and are born live.
The page saysA birth may last 3 to 5 hours and produce 10 to 20 young, and the young stay with the mother for a couple of hours, a day at most
The source saysThe birthing process may last for 3 to 5 hours and produce 10 to 20 young.
The page saysthe young stay with the mother for a couple of hours, a day at most
The source saysThe young only stay with the mother for a couple of hours, for a day at the most.
The page saysHawks, bald eagles, roadrunners and wild turkeys are listed as common predators
The source saysCommon predators of C.atrox include hawks, bald eagles, roadrunners, and wild turkeys.
The page saysMales have been seen in ritualized fights
The source saysRitualized fighting has been observed in C.atrox males.
The page saysEach lifts its forebody 80 cm in the air, and the two wrap around each other, head to head, until one backs off
The source saysFighters lift their forebodies up 80 cm. in the air, wrap them around each other, orienting head to head. They keep moving in a surging movement back and forth until one of the males backs off.
The page saysA western diamondback can shake its rattle 40 to 60 times a second
The source saysTheir rattles can activate at 40 to 60 cycles a second.
The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source saysThe Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is notorious for its fatal biteNote: Capability tier, not the 2002 page's dated ranking ('more fatalities than any other snake in the United States'), which the page does not use. SDZ's all-rattlesnake page agrees bites can kill: 'few snakebites are fatal to people'.

Source
02

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

AnAge entry for Crotalus atrox. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysAnAge lists a maximum longevity of 27 years in captivity
The source saysMaximum longevity 27 years (captivity)

Source
03

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Rattlesnake. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysA desert pit viper with a heat-sensing pit on each side of its head
The source saysthe "pit" on each side of the head, which is a heat-sensitive organ for locating preyNote: tagline/superpower; rattlesnakes as a group
The page saysA heat-sensing pit on each side of its head
The source saysthe "pit" on each side of the head, which is a heat-sensitive organ for locating preyNote: stats.superpower
The page saysRattlesnake rattles are made of interlocking segments of keratin, the same material as our fingernails
The source saysRattlesnakes have either a rattle or a partial rattle made of interlocking rings, or segments of keratin, the same material as our fingernails.Note: group scope, worded as rattlesnakes
The page saysTwo pits that sense heat
The source saysthe "pit" on each side of the head, which is a heat-sensitive organ for locating preyNote: heading; rattlesnakes as a group, the pit on each side of the head
The page saystags: ambush-predator
The source saysAt dusk, a hungry rattlesnake may begin to move and look for a good spot to ambush a mouse, ground squirrel, or rabbit.Note: Genus scope (SDZ's all-rattlesnake page).

Source
04

Villalobos Juárez et al. 2023

Villalobos Juárez et al. (2023). BEYOND MYTHS: REDISCOVERY OF THE WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE Crotalus atrox (BAIRD & GIRARD, 1853) IN THE MEXICAN STATE OF OAXACA AFTER A SPAN OF 79 YEARS. Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología.

The page saysthe species can exceed 180 cm in total length
The source saysis a large snake that can exceed 180 cm in total length
The page saysIts range covers much of the southwestern United States, from California to central and northern Texas, with a presence in Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma
The source sayscovering much of the southwestern United States of America, from California to central and northern Texas, with a presence in Arkansas, Kansas, and OklahomaNote: 2023 paper replaces ADW 2002 range, which omitted AR, KS, OK and the isolated southern populations
The page saysIn Mexico it covers 12 states, with isolated populations in Hidalgo, Jalisco, Veracruz and Oaxaca
The source saysIn Mexico, the distribution covers the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas, with isolated populations in Hidalgo, Jalisco, Veracruz, and OaxacaNote: 12 is a count of the states listed

Source
05

Minton & Weinstein 1986

Minton & Weinstein (1986). Geographic and ontogenic variation in venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Toxicon.

The page saysYoung venom, tested on mice
The source saysVenom of young snakes from north Texas was much more lethal by s.c. injection than that of adult snakes from any part of the range
The page saysIn a lab test on mice, venom from young snakes in north Texas was much more lethal when injected under the skin than venom from adults taken from any part of the range
The source saysVenom of young snakes from north Texas was much more lethal by s.c. injection than that of adult snakes from any part of the rangeNote: s.c. is subcutaneous, under the skin; the abstract says samples were tested for i.v. and s.c. lethality for mice
The page saysFifteen months later, the young snakes' venom had become almost five times less lethal
The source saysFifteen months later, lethality had declined almost five-fold

Source
06

Gillingham & Baker 1981

Gillingham & Baker (1981). Evidence for Scavenging Behavior in the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie.

The page saysIt will also take a meal that is already dead
The source saysThe results were used to document strong evidence for a scavenging feeding strategy for this species
The page saysIn lab tests, adults and newborns readily accepted mice that had been aged up to 48 hours
The source saysAdults and neonates readily accepted mice that had been aged up to 48 h

Source
07

McCue 2006

McCue (2006). Characterizing the starvation syndrome in the western diamond-back rattlesnake, a species well-suited to tolerate long-term fasting. The FASEB Journal.

The page saysIn one study, snakes fasted for 168 days lost 30% of their body mass, and their whole-body resting metabolic rate dropped by 75%
The source saysover a fasting period of 168d ... fasting snakes experienced a 30% reduction in body mass ... Whole animal and mass specific resting metabolic rates reduced by 75% and 65% respectively
The page saysIn one study, fasting snakes lost 30% of their body mass over 168 days
The source saysover a fasting period of 168d ... fasting snakes experienced a 30% reduction in body massNote: tagline
The page saysIt can go hungry, too
The source saysa snake species that is well known to tolerate long periods of fastingNote: linking sentence

Source
08

Frost, Hammerson & Santos-Barrera 2007

Frost, Hammerson & Santos-Barrera (2007). Crotalus atrox. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T64311A12763519.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysLeast ConcernNote: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF copy of the Red List, taxon 64311
The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates it Least Concern, in an assessment published in 2007
The source saysLeast ConcernNote: assessment year 2007 is in the DOI/citation (e.T64311A12763519, 2007)

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.