REPTILES OF THE WORLD

REPTILES OF THE WORLD SPECIES LISTS A Selection of Vipers ELAPIDS OF THE WORLD Amphibians of the World
AGAMAS (DRAGONS) OF THE WORLD SKINKS OF THE WORLD Sea Turtles of the World Freshwater Turtles of the world Tortoises of the would menu button Reptilesofaustralia.com

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AMERICAN COPPERHEADS
Agkistrodon contortrix and Agkistrodon laticinctus
Highly Venomous - Extremely Dangerous
John Fowler & Rachel Barnes

Distribution:- USA (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
 Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York,
 North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
 Virginia and West Virginia) Mexico - (Chihuahua and Coahuila)

Comments:- Grow to about 3ft (1 metre) long total length

There was 1 species of Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) recognised with 5 subspecies, but there are now 2 Species (without any subspecies) recognised (March 2020)
Much of the information available online or in books is now incorrect and confusing

The American Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix and laticinctus) are Vipers and should not be confused with Australian Copperheads which are Elapids in the Austrelaps genus


COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

DISTRIBUTION

EASTERN COPPERHEAD
(includes snakes previously known as Southern Copperheads and Northern Copperheads)

Agkistrodon contortrix (includes snakes that were called A. c. contortrix and A. c. mokasen )

USA:- Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts
Delaware.

WESTERN COPPERHEAD
or Broad-banded copperhead
(Includes snakes known as Trans-Pecos Copperheads and Osage Copperheads)

Agkistrodon laticinctus

(includes snakes that were called A. c. laticinctus, A. c. pictigaster and A. c. contortrix)

USA:- Texas, Oklahoma.
Mexico:- Chihuahua

Copperhead Hybrids

Hybrids occur where the species above meet.
The intergrades/crosses may be infertile or parthenogenic

 USA:- Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas

(Kansas River and Neosho River drainages)

Eastern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix
Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)


Broad-banded (Western) Copperhead (Agkistrodon laticinctus).
(The Copperhead in the photo above would have been called a Trans-Pecos Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster) in the past!

LINKS

Copperhead Snake Reproduces Via Parthenogenesis
Reptiles Magazine

EASTERN COPPERHEAD/BROAD-BANDED COPPERHEAD COMPLEX
Agkistrodon contortrix/laticinctus
Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas

Agkistrodon contortrix (LINNAEUS, 1766)
The Reptile Database

Agkistrodon laticinctus (GLOYD & CONANT, 1934)
The Reptile Database



If you were looking for unrelated Australian Copperheads (Genus Austrelaps), they are listed in this table below

Pigmy Copperhead

Austrelaps labialis

Highlands Copperhead

Austrelaps ramsayi

Lowlands Copperhead

Austrelaps superbus


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OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST

AUSTRALIAN HERPETOLOGY WEBSITE

REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA

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Updated January 16, 2023

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