Eastern Massasauga Snake - Essay Example

Eastern Massasauga is a small snake with thick bodies, heart-shaped heads, and vertical pupils. Its colors range from brown, grey, or greyish brown with light-edged chocolate brown blotches on the back and smaller blotches on the sides.

Eastern Massasaugas inhabit wet areas. During spring, Massasauga uses open shallow wetlands or shrub swamps. During summer, they move upward to drier areas where they can be found sunning in open fields. In the northern part of the US, Eastern Massasauga lives in Canada, Ontario, around Georgia Bay, Northern Indiana, and Northern and Central Ohio. In addition, they live in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan although they are declining due to human activities. Its protection in Michigan as an endangered species is due to the destruction of its habitats.

Naming, classification, and behavior

Eastern Massasauga is classified in the Eukarya domain, Animalia kingdom, Chordata Phylum, and reptilian class. The botanical name of Eastern Massasauga is Sistrurus Catenatus. The word “Massasauga” translates to “great river mouth,” in the Chippewa language describing wet areas surrounding a river where snakes can be found. Other names given to Eastern Massasauga are black Massasauga rattlers, Massasauga rattlers, Michigan rattlers, and swamp rattlers (Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake web).

An Eastern Massasauga is a slow-moving snake that often strikes if disturbed. In New York, it is the smallest of the three venomous snakes. They employ camouflage where they hide in areas that bear the same color as themselves.

Feeding

Massasaugas take advantage of their different adaptations to survive in wet areas. For instance, they have to detect prey from a distance through its organs. It uses the Vomeronasal organ also known as Jacobson’s organ which is located at the roof of the mouth with nerve endings into the brain to detect prey. They take their tongue out to pick some air and place it onto the surface of Vomero for detection. In addition, this organ detects mates, geographical regions, and predators (John Web)

Eastern Massasauga mainly feeds on small mammals, small vertebrates, and reptiles. It uses its fangs that can be engaged independently or simultaneously to kill its prey. The venom in its fangs contains a specialized digestive enzyme that disrupts its cardiovascular system. This is why they swallow their prey alive and depend on these enzymes to break it down.

Reproduction

While mating can occur almost at any time of the year, a breeding season runs for two months in both June and May. Eastern Massasaugas do not lay eggs but give birth to little snakes called litters. To start mating, a Massasauga takes three to four years and they have a lifespan of about fourteen years. Read More