Eastern Massasauga
Sistrurus catenatus
Size
20–25 in
Status
Endangered
Venomous
Yes
Region
Northern Indiana
A small, shy wetland rattlesnake and Indiana's rarest venomous snake. It is federally protected and avoids people whenever it can.
Identification
A small, thick-bodied rattlesnake, gray to tan with dark brown saddle-shaped blotches down the back and smaller side spots. It has a small segmented rattle and a broad head with vertical pupils. Adults stay under 30 inches — far smaller than a Timber Rattlesnake.
Habitat & Diet
Tied to wetlands — fens, wet prairies, and marsh edges — often using crayfish burrows to overwinter. It ambushes small rodents and occasionally amphibians. It is secretive and rarely encountered.
Conservation in Indiana
State Endangered in Indiana and Federally Threatened across its range, having declined sharply with wetland loss. It is protected by law; observe from a distance and never handle it.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
Told from the larger Timber Rattlesnake by its rounded (not chevron) dorsal blotches and nine large crown plates, and from the harmless Foxsnake by its heat-sensing facial pit, vertical pupils, and segmented tail rattle. A small pit viper (family Viperidae). A 2011 revision split the massasaugas into the Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) and the Western Massasauga (S. tergeminus).
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
