What distinguishes the Crotalinae subfamily, to which *Crotalus oreganus* belongs?
Answer
The heat-sensing pits located between their eye and nostril.
The defining characteristic cited for the Crotalinae subfamily, which includes the Western Rattlesnake (*Crotalus oreganus*), is the presence of specialized, heat-sensing pits. These pits are crucial sensory organs located precisely between the animal's eye and its nostril. They allow the snake to detect minute changes in environmental temperature, which is vital for locating warm-blooded prey even in total darkness. This adaptation is the hallmark feature separating pit vipers from other snake groups.
Related Questions
What distinguishes the Crotalinae subfamily, to which *Crotalus oreganus* belongs?What biological event, contrary to popular myth, does the segmented rattle of *Crotalus oreganus* actually indicate?Under which broader historical classification were many populations now recognized as *C. oreganus* previously grouped?What major geological era is central to the deep evolutionary history and range dynamics of *C. oreganus*?What process, revealed by phylogeographic analysis, is evidenced by genetic breaks tracing back to barriers present during glacial maximums?What environmental pressures are cited as highly influential in shaping the diverse phenotypes within the *C. oreganus* species complex?What finding often results when comparing the deep genetic separations in *C. oreganus* molecular data with current subspecies classifications?What biochemical defense mechanism in *C. oreganus* varies significantly based on geographic location?What modern human activities pose a threat by causing fragmentation to localized *C. oreganus* populations?What is the general conservation security ranking assigned to the *Crotalus oreganus* designation by conservation bodies?