Rattlesnake ID question

[sirena]

I took a picture of what I thought was a Western Diamondback last week at Sabino Canyon, but there was some question as to whether or not it was a Mojave instead, based on the facial markings. Anyone care to weigh in?

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=149540

[joebartels]

It doesn't look Mojave to me but I'm not a snake expert by any means. Airic, rally_toad and AZ-Outdoorsman are the local herpetologist

[Nighthiker]

Not enough for me to ID.

[big_load]

On a related note, there's a supposed snake maven elsewhere who claims that Western Diamondbacks are confined to extreme southern AZ, and that most identified as such here are really Mojaves. I haven't found solid enough information to confirm or refute that.

[rally_toad]

Thats a Western Diamondback for sure! And you can tell from the face markings that it is so. Notice the two light colored eye stripes on the diamondback. The second eyestripe (behind the eye) intersects the snake's mouth. Mojave's also have two light eye stripes, but on Mojave's the stripe does not intersect the mouth.

[rally_toad]

On a related note, there's a supposed snake maven elsewhere who claims that Western Diamondbacks are confined to extreme southern AZ, and that most identified as such here are really Mojaves. I haven't found solid enough information to confirm or refute that.

Funny that anyone (especially someone who claims to know a bit about snakes) would even propose that, the WDB's have a much wider range throughout the country than do Mojave's.

[sirena]

@rally_toad
Thanks! I was pretty sure it was, but another person on that hike said he thought it was Mojave.

[airic]

Yup, all in the eyestripe. The black tail rings can help you too if you had a look at them. Thicker on the diamond.

[kevinweitzel75]

Hella cool pics, airic!

[airic]

Thanks, but I must pass that on the Sirena as they're hers.

[kevinweitzel75]

Oopps. Correction... Great pics, Sirena! (Long hot day yesterday.) Acually, don't remember alot of lastnight.