The Eastern Copperhead Snake is a species of of Pit Viper that is native to the Eastern parts of the United States.
These snakes are venomous although the potency of their venom is considered to be quite low in comparison to other related species such as the Cottonmouth.
These snakes aren’t very aggressive so bites are rarely fatal. Even when stepped on, they will often deliver a ‘dry bite’ with no venom injected as a warning to leave them alone.
Eastern Copperhead Snake Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Eastern Copperhead Snake belongs to is called Viperidae or simply the Viper family of snakes.
This is one of the most popular families of venomous snakes in the world along with the Elapid family.
Vipers are found throughout most of the world but an interesting fact about vipers is that they are not native to Australia. The majority of venomous snakes in Australia are from the Elapid family.
Even though Australia has ‘Adders’, such as the Common Death Adder, these ‘Adders’ are not related to the ‘Viper’ Adders of Africa and actually belong to the Elapid Family.
Some other well known species of vipers include the Berg Adder, the Common Lancehead, the Cottonmouth, the Desert Horned Viper and the Bamboo Viper
Genus
The genus that the Eastern Copperhead Snake belongs to is called Agkistrodon. The species in this genus are commonly known as American moccasins.
There are currently 8 recognised species in this genus and they can be found in parts of North and Central America.
Some of the other species in this genus include the Cantil, the Florida Cottonmouth, the Broad-Banded Copperhead and the Gloyd’s Moccasin.
Species
The scientific name for the Eastern Copperhead Snake is Agkistrodon contortrix and there are currently four recognised sub-species.
These sub-species are: the Northern Copperhead, the Southern Copperhead, the Osage Copperhead and the Trans-Pecos Copperhead.
The species was first described in 1766 by a Swedish taxonomist named Carl Linnaeus.
Linnaeus is credited for formalising binomial nomenclature which is the modern system of naming organisms. He has described a large number of reptiles including the Yellow Footed Tortoise, the Common Slow Worm, the Green Ameiva, the Mediterranean House Gecko, the Northern Water Snake and the Banded Water Snake.He also described the Ringneck Snake, the Blunthead Three Snake, the Rainbow Lizard, the Greek Tortoise, the Surinam Horned Frog, the Desert Horned Viper and the Nile Monitor.
Eastern Copperhead Snake Description
The Eastern Copperhead Snake is easily recognizable as it has a distinct reddish-brown body with crossband patterning.
These crossbands exhibit a combination of tan, copper, and rich brown colors that extend throughout the length of the snake.
An adult Eastern Copperhead Snake typically reaches an average length of 76 cm and are generally described as having a robust physique.
Sexual dimorphism is observed in copperheads, with males usually possessing longer bodies compared to females.
The head of the copperhead is notably different from the rest of its body, displaying a solid, rich brown color.
Below the midline between the eye and the nostril, heat-sensing pit organs can be found.
Although the Eastern Copperhead Snake is venomous, the venom they produce is mild and bites are very rarely fatal to adult humans.
Juvenile copperheads exhibit similar crossband patterns to adults but have more of a grey coloration.
Apart from the color differences, juvenile copperheads also possess a tail tip with a yellow tint until they reach the age of 3 to 4 years.
This different colored tail can be seen in other Agkistrodon species, such as the Cottonmouth. These snakes use this tail to imitate the movements of a caterpillar to attract unsuspecting prey.
Both juveniles and adults possess fully functional fangs capable of delivering lethal amounts of venom to their prey
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Eastern Copperhead Snake can be found in 28 states across the Central and Eastern regions of the United States.
They can be found from the Southern parts of New England to the Eastern parts of Kansas and Nebraska. In the Southern part of their range, they can be found from South-Eastern Texas to the Florida Panhandle.
They can also be found in isolated areas of Mexico in places such as Coahuila and Chihuahua.
There are five recognized subspecies of Copperheads. Each subspecies has its own distinct patterning and coloration. These sub-species are:
- Northern Copperhead (A. c. mokasen): This subspecies has a wide distribution, ranging from southern New England in the United States to Coahuila and Chihuahua in Mexico.
- Southern Copperhead (A. c. contortrix): Found from Massachusetts to Texas and southeastern Nebraska.
- Broad Banded Copperhead (A. c. laticinctus): Restricted to the southern border of Kansas and Oklahoma, as well as central Texas.
- Trans-Pecos Copperhead (A. c. pictigaster): Limited to the Trans-Pecos region in far west Texas and northeastern Mexico.
- Osage Copperhead (A. c. phaeogaster): Predominantly inhabiting the central region of the United States, particularly in Missouri and eastern Kansas.
However, recent DNA analysis suggests the presence of three distinct clades within the species, with relatively low divergence.
These clades do not align with the previously mentioned subspecies designations. Further analysis is required to clarify the genetic lineages within the Copperhead species.
The extensive distribution of the Eastern Copperhead Snake is linked to the diverse range of habitats where they can be found.
In the northeastern and Appalachian regions, these snakes are typically located in deciduous forests and open woodlands characterized by rocky outcrops and hilly terrain.
They also show their preference in areas with fallen woody vegetation. On the southern coastal plain, these snakes can be found in wet woodlands and around the edges of swamps.
In the Western part of their range, they are often found in mixed woodlands that contain a water source such as a stream.
Additionally, they are known to adapt to human-altered environments such as construction sites, sawdust piles, and suburban neighbourhoods.
There close proximity to humans is the primary reason that these snakes are responsible for a large portion of venomous snake bites in the United States.
During the winter months, the Eastern Copperhead Snake frequently seeks out hibernation sites that face south or west.
They particularly like to seek out areas such as caves, hollow logs, rock crevices, abandoned mines and even building foundations.
Gravid females, those carrying eggs, also tend to utilize these sites and exhibit a preference for microhabitats with elevated temperature profiles.
Eastern Copperhead Snake Behaviour
The Eastern Copperhead Snake is usually most active from around March to early November in the colder parts of their range.
During winter, they have been observed basking on warm days even in December and January.
While copperheads can hibernate individually, communal hibernation sites are common and may include other snake species such as Timber Rattlesnakes, Eastern Racers, and Eastern Rat Snakes.
In the spring, when emerging from hibernation, individuals tend to bask near their hibernation site for a few weeks before becoming more active.
The Eastern Copperhead Snake is primarily active during daylight hours in spring and fall.
During the summer months, they become crepuscular or nocturnal, preferring to hunt during cooler evening hours.
However, they carefully select resting habitats during daylight to regulate their body temperature, aiming for preferred temperatures ranging from 23 to 31 degrees Celsius.
While they are commonly found on the ground surface, there have been observations of snakes up to 5 meters above the ground in shrubs and small trees, using such elevated positions for thermoregulation.
Males tend to have larger activity ranges than females, especially during the breeding season when male aggression increases.
The increased movement in males is believed to be associated with mate searching. On the other hand, gravid (pregnant) females tend to move shorter distances compared to non-gravid females and are often found near the hibernation site, often in aggregations of 4 to 6 individuals.