March 12 2017, Emily Riddles, a 21-year-old wildlife photographer and herpetologist from Phoenix, Arizona. She is exploring the Hummingbird Springs Wilderness, which is located in the northwest of Maricopa County, in the northern regions of the central Sonoran Desert in Arizona. She is on her expedition to find new species of snakes, one new species that she was hoping to find is the Silent Assassin Rattlesnake (Crotalus quietus), which was rumored to be both neurotoxic and cardiotoxic which can kill a person with 30 to 35 minutes. She will be joined by her colleague, Cassidy Hampton (23). The two were now searching in the area surrounded by cacti.
"Rattlesnake!" Cassidy said as she spotted the rattlesnake coiled up on the rock neared the cacti.
Both Cassidy and Emily approaching the rattlesnake.
"It's a new species of rattlesnake alright, the Yellow-headed Brown Rattlesnake (Crotalus maricopanensis)." Emily said.
Both Emily and Cassidy handling the rattlesnake very carefully with their respective tongs.
"This snake is endemic to Arizona, mostly prefers deserts and mountains." Emily said.
Later, both Emily carefully measuring the snake's size and counting the dorsal scales, ventral scales and subcaudal scales.
"This specimen here is about 3 foot 5 inches long, it's a male. Females grow up to 4 feet long." Emily said.
"It has 25 dorsal scales, 167 ventral scales and 82 subcaudal scales." Cassidy said as they take noted the geographic ranges, habitats, size and scale counts in their respective notebooks.
"This is primarily a nocturnal species feeding on rats, mice and lizards." Emily said as the two takes noted the diet of the snake in their respective notebooks.
"The colors and markings of this snake is stunning. It is a brown colored snake with yellow head and black zigzag patterns all the way down to its tail. Its belly is brown-and-black checkered patterns." Cassidy said.
The two takes noted the colors and markings of the snake in their respective notebooks.
"This species is truly breathtaking. The unique color patterns and markings make it stand out in the Arizona landscape." Emily said as she looked closely at the snake in her tongs.
"Indeed, the vibrant yellow head against the brown body is quite striking. It's remarkable how nature can produce such diverse and captivating creatures." Cassidy responded, equally mesmerized by the snake's appearance.
"The rattlesnake is undoubtedly the apex predator of its environment." Emily remarked thoughtfully, impressed at the majestic species.
"You're right, Emily. This snake has a unique and powerful defense mechanism – the rattle." Cassidy pointed out. "It uses its rattle to warn predators of its presence and deter them from approaching."
Emily nods and adds, "Yes, the rattle is a fascinating adaptation. It's made up of loose, hollow segments that rattle together to create a distinctive sound. The sound serves as a warning to potential predators to stay away."
After they finished document and taking several photographs of the Yellow-headed Brown Rattlesnake, they released the snake carefully back to the wild.
Emily and Cassidy watched as the snake slithered away into the desert.
Emily turned to Cassidy with a smile. "That was an incredible find. It's always amazing to discover a new species."
Cassidy nodded in agreement. "It's experiences like this that make me love herpetology. There's always something new to learn and discover."
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Emily Riddles: American Snake Master
RandomEmily Riddles is a 21-year-old wildlife photographer and herpetlogist from Phoenix, Arizona. She is a well-known snake expert who travel around the world to find, document and photographed all kinds of snakes, both venomous and non-venomous.
