User:Netasha8/Crotalus catalinensis

Lead
The snake belongs to the family Viperdae and like all other pit vipers...

Also are a generally nocturnal species.

Description
The banding around the tail tapers off and becomes more obscure. The two different colors were originally thought to be due to natural selection and therefore match different habitat backgrounds, but that was disproved. There is no difference between the brown and grey within the habitat, as well as no difference in the frequency of color between males and females.

Geographic Range
The island is the third largest, at 194 km2, of the 8 California Channel Islands and is roughly 32 km (approximately 20 miles) from the coast of southern California.

Conservation Status
This population of feral cats formerly invaded the island and have since been eradicated in 2002. There is no guarantee that the cats will not be reintroduced into the area, which could cause problems for the snake, whether that be from being preyed on themselves or through the population decline of their main food sources. These cats have negatively affected many populations of several other island reptile species.

Because the rattlesnake has such limited options for prey on the island, it is vital to maintain the populations of prey for the conservation of C. catalinensis, especially since the main species of prey for the snake, Peromyscus slevini, is endemic to the island. Conservation efforts for the habitats of Santa Catalina Island as well as the prey of C. catalinesis would improve the rattlesnake's risk of extinction.

Other threats include human influence such as killing out of fear and capturing for the illegal collection of rare wildlife. Because the Santa Catalina rattlesnake is an endemic species, and is without a rattle, the snake is more valued and therefore more threatened. Climate also impacts the Santa Catalina by influencing plant productivity which is mostly related to the vast differences in the quantity of rainfall. Environmental temperature fluctuations due to climate change effects the snakes because they are ectotherms- the outside temperature directly influences the snake's body temperature.

There are currently no movements towards the conservation of this species. Bahía de Loreto National Park considered the rattlesnake as "very difficult to observe" which could add to the lack of conservation efforts. Because this species is endemic to the island and the territory is fairly small, the area being 40.99 km², the snakes are faced with possible inbreeding, demographic and environmental stochasticity, and more. However, there are no studies, as of 2005, to support these theories.

Each of these threats, along with the species' biological characteristics of late maturation, slow growth, few offspring and long periods of time between each breeding period, contributes to the vulnerability of the species.

Habitat
The Santa Catalina is often found in plains, bottoms of ravines, and riverbeds of streams. They are found on summits of rocky hills where they often find shelter in the rock crevices. One of the main shelter options is dense vegetation which can also be used as an efficient way to find prey. It is believed that the snakes find shelter in the vegetation to help maintain a constant body temperature as well as use the density to hide from predators.

Behavior
Though it was previously thought that the snakes presented diurnal and nocturnal habits, more evidence suggests that they are completely nocturnal, even during winter months. The Santa Catalina Rattlesnake express thermo-conformist behavior which means that its body temperature correlates with soil temperature. This is a common trait among other rattlesnakes as well. The snakes become more arboreal in the hotter months like July, likely because it is easier to thermoregulate in the vegetation than it is on the ground due to the exposed rocks and soil's extremely high temperatures. The Santa Catalina Rattlesnake does not hibernate.

The darker coloration on the snakes make them more easily adaptable because of their ability to bask and absorb more heat. This causes their metabolism to speed up which provides them with faster digestion that helps increase strength and physical conditions. Due to these factors, the darker colored snakes have greater reproductive success than the lighter colored snakes. Though the dark snakes have these advantages, their coloration also limits them because they are more easily spotted by predators than the sand colored snakes.

Feeding
The diet of this rattlesnake is a fraction of the diet of its closest relative, Crotalus Ruber. C. Ruber, like most rattlesnakes, frequently prey on lizards and small mammals such as mice, rats, and squirrels. C. Ruber also is known to eat frogs, toads, birds, and other snakes. The restricted diet of the Santa Catalina Rattlesnake compared to its sister species is likely due to the limited prey diversity on the island. The small prey size and availability effects the body size of the snake, so this reasons the smaller body length of the Santa Catalina. For example, the main prey is the endemic Santa Catalina Deer Mouse, Peromyscus slevini, which are measured to 21 cm (8.3 in) in total length including the tail, which is 10 centimeters (3.9 in).

The Santa Catalina rattlesnake also shares the pattern of higher preying activity during the summer and during rainy season (July–October) with other rattlesnakes from central and northern Mexico.