Cottonmouth
(Agkistrodon piscivorus)
 
Range: Southern United States

Habitat: Swamps, bayous, rivers, lakes.

Diet: Fish and small rodents
Identification: Black, banded snakes with white mouths, large heads and a striped face.

Notes: Cottonmouths are dark brown to black snakes with a relatively flattened head, large eyes and large heat-sensing (thermo-receptors) “pits” on either side of their head. These pits identify them as pit vipers. Cottonmouths are also called Water Moccasins. Cottonmouths can grow over 8 ft long! They can also be quite aggressive. Cottonmouths are so named because of white coloration inside of their mouth. Cottonmouths are closely related to copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) though, as their species name suggests, cottonmouths spend more time in the water because they are piscivorous (fish eating). Both cottonmouths and copperheads have elliptical pupils. Cottonmouths are also more aggressive than Copperheads.  Both Copperheads and Cottonmouths are venomous and their venom is hemotoxic (it destroys tissue). The Cottonmouths’ venom is more potent that the Copperhead.  They inject their venom through hollow, retractable fangs (unlike cobras, who have fixed fangs.) As the Cottonmouth strikes (lunges) it opens its mouth, its teeth spring forward and it bites its victim. This all happens in a very brief period of time. Cottonmouths are ovoviviparous, meaning that they develop eggs internally and then give birth to live young. There are three Cottonmouth subspecies. Both Copperheads and cottonmouths wiggle their tails to attract prey.

At The Children’s Museum: The Children’s Museum has a Cottonmouth in their UTC Wildlife Sanctuary.