Greg Pandelis, collections manager at the ARDRC and coauthor of the latest scientific publication on the distribution of Texas reptiles. Photo from Fox4
Rumor has it rattlesnakes are everywhere in Texas, but the reality is quite different. Recently a Western Diamondback was discovered in a garage in Denton County, Texas which is out of their normal range. They typically are found more in the drier, desert areas of Texas rather than the more forested, which is where Denton County is located. The animal is now at University of Texas at Arlington’s Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center (ARDRC).
Pandelis believes the snake came from a small undetected population within Denton County rather than migrating from neighboring areas.
“This is especially odd because of how common that snake generally is,” Pandelis said. “It’s not something that usually eludes detection. So this specimen is very important and interesting because it will reform our understanding of not just where the species occurs in Texas, but maybe even what its habitat requirements are and what its limits are, as far as where it can occur and where it can’t. Having this individual snake preserved as a research specimen is so important because it will fill a gap in our understanding of this species and will be used in studies being done on Diamondback biology,” said Pandlis.
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