Mohave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus)
The Mohave rattlesnake is a venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. GBIF holds 2,423 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 6 states, most of all Arizona (1,417), California (430) and Texas (290). Its observation records peak in August.
Crotalus scutulatus is species of rattlesnake, a venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is known commonly as the Mohave Rattlesnake. Other common English names include Mojave Rattlesnake and, referring specifically to the nominate (northern) subspecies: Northern Mohave Rattlesnake and Mojave Green Rattlesnake, the latter name commonly shortened to the more colloquial "Mojave green".
From Wikipedia: Crotalus scutulatus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the Mohave rattlesnake poisonous or venomous?
Yes. The Mohave rattlesnake is a pit viper (family Viperidae), like every rattlesnake, copperhead and cottonmouth in the U.S. Its bite needs emergency care: call 911 and keep the bitten limb still. Antivenom is given in hospital.
Snakes often mistaken for it
Species commonly confused with rattlesnakes and recorded in the same states: gopher snake (recorded in all 6 of its states), Great Plains rat snake (recorded in 3 of its 6 states), plains hog-nosed snake (recorded in 3 of its 6 states) and eastern hog-nosed snake (recorded in 1 of its 6 states).
Which states have the Mohave rattlesnake?
The Mohave rattlesnake's U.S. record is concentrated: Arizona alone holds 58% of licensed records. It is listed in 6 states in all; the next are California (430), Texas (290) and New Mexico (216).
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | 1,417 | 6.9% | 2nd of 60 |
| 2 | California | 430 | 0.6% | 24th of 46 |
| 3 | Texas | 290 | 0.7% | 35th of 86 |
| 4 | New Mexico | 216 | 3.3% | 7th of 56 |
| 5 | Nevada | 67 | 1.7% | 16th of 27 |
| 6 | Utah | 2 | 0.1% | 26th of 28 |
When is the Mohave rattlesnake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the Mohave rattlesnake run mostly April through September, peaking in August with 44% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (California) and latest in July (Arizona and New Mexico). The most common peak month is August, shared by Arizona and New Mexico.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | July through October | August | 293 |
| New Mexico | July through September | August | 103 |
| California | March through September | April | 83 |
| Texas | June through October | June | 45 |
Where the Mohave rattlesnake is recorded in each state
Arizona
Arizona holds 1,417 licensed records, the 2nd most recorded of 60 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Arizona run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Cochise County, Maricopa County and Pima County. Next come Yavapai County (151) and Pinal County (80).
California
California holds 430 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 46 snakes listed there. Its observation records in California run mostly March through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from San Bernardino County, Kern County and Los Angeles County. Next come Imperial County (3) and Madera County (1).
Texas
Texas holds 290 licensed records, the 35th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly June through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Brewster County, Hudspeth County and Jeff Davis County. Next come Presidio County (46) and Culberson County (30).
New Mexico
New Mexico holds 216 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 56 snakes listed there. Its observation records in New Mexico run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Hidalgo County, Otero County and Grant County. Next come Luna County (1).
Nevada
Nevada holds 67 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 27 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Nevada come from Clark County, Lincoln County and Nye County.
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cochise County | Arizona | 596 | 24.6% |
| 2 | San Bernardino County | California | 256 | 10.6% |
| 3 | Maricopa County | Arizona | 208 | 8.6% |
| 4 | Hidalgo County | New Mexico | 208 | 8.6% |
| 5 | Pima County | Arizona | 182 | 7.5% |
| 6 | Yavapai County | Arizona | 151 | 6.2% |
| 7 | Brewster County | Texas | 101 | 4.2% |
| 8 | Kern County | California | 97 | 4.0% |
| 9 | Pinal County | Arizona | 80 | 3.3% |
| 10 | Los Angeles County | California | 72 | 3.0% |
| 11 | Clark County | Nevada | 61 | 2.5% |
| 12 | Graham County | Arizona | 58 | 2.4% |
| 13 | Hudspeth County | Texas | 48 | 2.0% |
| 14 | Jeff Davis County | Texas | 48 | 2.0% |
| 15 | Santa Cruz County | Arizona | 47 | 1.9% |
How recent are the Mohave rattlesnake records?
The Mohave rattlesnake record leans on older material: only 20% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1993. The oldest dated record is from 1892; the busiest year was 2024, with 121 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 4 | 0.2% |
| 1900s | 1 | 0.0% |
| 1910s | 9 | 0.4% |
| 1920s | 69 | 3.0% |
| 1930s | 177 | 7.8% |
| 1940s | 97 | 4.3% |
| 1950s | 109 | 4.8% |
| 1960s | 152 | 6.7% |
| 1970s | 223 | 9.8% |
| 1980s | 244 | 10.7% |
| 1990s | 243 | 10.7% |
| 2000s | 260 | 11.4% |
| 2010s | 310 | 13.6% |
| 2020s | 381 | 16.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 35 counties where the Mohave rattlesnake is most recorded, 35 are also top counties for the gopher snake, more than for any other snake.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Gopher snake | 35 |
| Long-nosed snake | 33 |
| Glossy snake | 31 |
| Coachwhip | 29 |
| Striped whipsnake | 27 |
| Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous | 26 |
| Western ground snake | 25 |
| Ring-necked snake | 23 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Crotalus with profiles here: Western rattlesnake, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Prairie rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Timber rattlesnake, Red diamond rattlesnake, Black-tailed rattlesnake and Eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.