Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake

The pygmy rattlesnake is a short snake, although rather thick-bodied for its size.

Markings include a dark line through each eye, roughly circular spots running down the center of the back, a thin reddish-orange stripe along the body line, and dark spots on its white belly. The dusky pygmy rattlesnake is found all throughout Florida, except for in the Florida Keys. They are "sit-and-wait" ambush predators, often not moving from their location for days at a time. As young snakes, their diet is primarily frogs and lizards. Because these prey items eat insects, the dusky pygmy rattlesnake often use "caudal luring", a method in which the snake moves its tail in a way that mimics an insect. As young snakes, the dusky pygmy rattlesnake also has a brightly colored tail, which aids in this trickery. As they get older, this coloration wears off, but the snakes begin to hunt slightly large prey (such as mice) and use their heat-seeking pits on their faces to do so.