Organisms Identification Manual: For The Western United States - Peyton Edwards - 41

Cantil: Agkistrodon bilineatus

Range: Cantil can be found through Mexico and South America.

Typical Size: Average adult Cantil measure 32 inches in length.

Distinguishing/Key Features: The Cantil is a brown color that has black and dark brown
bands. The Cantil is often patterned with fringes of white or cream scales. Juvenile Cantil are
seen to have distinctive banding and a bright yellow tail which fades in color with age.

Habitat: Cantil can be found in forests both dry and tropical, grasslands, savanna, areas near
rivers or streams, and cultivated regions.

Interesting Observations: The Cantil’s face appears to point in because the white markings
all converge on a central point on the
Cantil’s nose.

Interesting Facts: Juvenile Cantil

use their bright yellow tails to attract
prey who think it is a wiggling worm.
Also, Cantil have the longest fangs
within the genus Agkistrodon with
them measuring over a centimeter in
length.
 Organisms Identification Manual: For The Western United States - Peyton Edwards - 42

Gila Monster: Heloderma suspectum

Range: Gila Monsters can be
found in the Mojave, Sonoran,
and Chihuahuan deserts located
in the southwestern United
States and northwestern
Mexico.

Typical Size: Gila Monsters are on average 20 inches long.

Distinguishing/Key Features: Gila Monsters have black bodies patterned with pink, orange,
and yellow. Gila Monsters have broad heads and thick bodies.

Habitat: Gila Monsters spend a majority of their lives in underground burrows.

Interesting Observations: Gila Monsters are not incredibly active lizards.

Interesting Facts: Gila Monsters are one of few venomous lizards in the world.
 Organisms Identification Manual: For The Western United States - Peyton Edwards - 43

Green Rat Snake:

Range: The Green Rat Snake can be found in
southern Arizona and throughout Central America.

Typical Size: Adults are on average 63 inches in

length.

Distinguishing/Key Features: The Green Rat

Snakes ranges in color between olive, light yellow,
or plain green. They have a long and narrow head.

Habitat: Green Rat Snakes prefer woodlands and

semi-desert grasslands.

Interesting Observations: The Green Rat Snake is a perfect shade green to camouflage itself
within the cover of trees or grass.
 Organisms Identification Manual: For The Western United States - Peyton Edwards - 44

Long-nosed Snake: Rhinocheilus lecontei

Range: The Long-nosed Snake can be found from southwestern Oklahoma to the southern
Chihuahua desert.

Typical Size: Long-nosed Snakes are on

average 35 inches in length when full grown.

Distinguishing/Key Features: Long-nosed

Snakes are patterned red, cream, and black.
They look similar to coral snakes but they have
a saddled patterning instead of a banded one.

Habitat: The Long-nosed Snake can be found

in flatlands and valleys.

Interesting Observations: I originally mistook the Long-nosed Snake for a Coral Snake
because of its pattern and coloring.

Interesting Facts: Long-nosed Snakes are sometimes mistaken as Coral Snakes because of
their tricolor pattern of red, cream, and black.
 Organisms Identification Manual: For The Western United States - Peyton Edwards - 45

Mexican Boa: Boa constrictor imperator

Range: The Mexican Boa can be
found from the Sonoran desert to
South America.

Typical Size: The Mexican Boa

grows between 4 and 8 feet long.

Distinguishing/Key Features:

Habitat: The Mexican Boa can be

found in canyons near water holes.

Interesting Observations: The

Mexican Boa was very active and was moving from branch to branch within the enclosure.

Interesting Facts: The Mexican Boa is considered a smaller boa even though it can grow up
to 8 feet.