Agkistrodon – Pit vipers
Also known as American moccasins; endemic to North America
Pit vipers of this genus go by the names cottonmouth, cantil, and copperhead. They have heat-sensory pits between their eyes and nostrils on either side of their heads, just like other pit vipers, which can pick up on even the slightest temperature variations.
These allow the snakes to precisely hit the source of heat, which is frequently potential food.
These snakes can be found in various environments, including rocky, forested hillsides, marshes, and semiaquatic and terrestrial habitats. Additionally, they have been observed living in construction zones, rotting wood or sawdust heaps, and occasionally suburban neighborhoods. Species within a genus have varying degrees of conservation status.
Species in this genus
Agkistrodon piscivorus Cottonmouth
They are called cottonmouth for their fluffy white mouth insides that they show out when threatened