Ecology of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake ('Sistrurus Catenatus Catenatus') Along the Upper Wapsipnicon River in Bremer County, Iowa;Final rept

摘要

The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) is a small, thick bodied snake with black to grayish-black dorsal blotches alternating with two or three rows of blank blotches on a gray ground color. Massasaugas are found in a variety of habitats, including bogs, fens, marshes, old fields, prairies, sedge meadows and wet grasslands adjacent to bottomland forest, but tend to avoid heavily wooded areas. The eastern massasauga is found from Iowa and Missouri east to western New York and southern Ontario. Across its range, the eastern massasauga has suffered a noticeable decline. Historically, massasaugas probably existed throughout Iowa's southern and eastern two tiers of counties. Recent surveys indicate that the massasagua's range in Iowa has been severely restricted, with populations continuing to decline, including those that have historically been the most robust. Currently, four disjunct, extant populations remain in the state.