Florida cottonmouth
| Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Agkistrodon |
| Species: | A. piscivorus |
| Subspecies: | A. p. conanti |
| Trinomial name | |
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Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti Gloyd, 1969 |
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Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti, commonly known as the Florida cottonmouth or green-tailed moccasin, is a venomous pitviper subspecies in the family Viperidae. The subspecies is found in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida.
The subspecific name, conanti, is in honor of the late American herpetologist, Roger Conant.
Adults of A. p. conanti grow up to 1,892 mm (74.5 inches) in total length (including tail). Allen and Swindell (1948) reported one male specimen from Marion County, Florida that measured 1,829 mm (72 inches) in total length and weighed 4.6 kg (10 pounds).
The color pattern is similar to that of A. p. piscivorus, apart from head markings that are plainly visible even in older, darker specimens: dark brown postocular stripes that are bordered above and below by narrow light lines. A pair of dark stripes are also visible at the front of the lower jaw, as well as a pair of dark vertical stripes at the tip of the snout. Mature specimens often lack any dorsal pattern.
Additional common names for A. p. conanti include aquatic copperhead, aquatic moccasin, cotton-mouthed snake, gaper, gapper, lake moccasin, mangrove rattler, moccasin viper, North American water viper, pond moccasin, river pit viper, short-tailed moccasin, small-tailed rattler, snap jaw, stub-tail moccasin, swamp lion, swamp moccasin, trap jaw, water mamba, water moccasin, water pilot, water pit moccasin, water rattlesnake, white mouth moccasin, and worm-tailed moccasin.
A. p. conanti is found in the United States in extreme southern Georgia and throughout Florida. It also inhabits many offshore islands. Intergradation with A. p. piscivorus occurs from southern South Carolina, west across Georgia, through the western part of the Florida panhandle to southeastern Alabama. Not present in the lower keys, despite an old record from Key West.Intergradation with A. p. leucostoma occurs east of Mobile Bay, Alabama, and slightly further east from there. The type locality given is "at the edge of Rochelle-Cross Creek Road, about 7 miles southeast of Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida" [USA].
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