Description
A small species, with adult specimens measuring between 43 cm and 76 cm (17 to 30 in) in length. According to Campbell and Lamar (2004), most adults are 50–80 cm (19.8 to 32 in) in length. The females are larger than the males, which is unusual for this group of snakes.
Midbody there are usually 21 rows of keeled dorsal scales. In males there are 141 or fewer ventral scales; in females 144 or fewer. Sometimes referred to as the horned rattlesnake because of the raised supraocular scales above its eyes. This adaptation may help shade the eyes or prevent sand drifting over them as the snake lies almost buried in it.
The color pattern consists of a ground color that may be cream, buff, yellowish brown, pink or ash gray, overlaid with 28-47 dorsal blotches that are subrhombic or subelliptical. In the nominate subspecies, the belly is white and the proximal lobe of the rattle is brown in adults. Klauber and Neill describe the ability of this species to display different coloration depending on the temperature—a process known as metachrosis.
Read more about this topic: Crotalus Cerastes
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