This form is typically a light tan in color, with darker brown, wide crossbands - which gives it its common name.
The actual color varies, by locality, from a red-brown, to a gray-brown.
In the western reaches of its range, the species can be difficult to distinguish from the Trans-Pecos copperhead, A. c. pictigaster.
The only notable physical difference between the subspecies is the A. c. pictigaster tends to have an elaborately patterned underside, often being an irregular, white and black pattern, whereas A. laticinctus tends to be plain white, only have minimal patterning, or have elongated random blotching instead of a distinct pattern.
The subspecies intergrade where their ranges overlap, further confusing identification.
It also overlaps with the southern copperhead, A. c. contortrix in the eastern reaches of its range, making specimens there difficult to distinguish, but generally A. c. contortrix has banding that narrows at the spine, creating hourglass shapes, whereas A. laticinctus has bands that do not narrow at the spine.
They grow to approximately 20-36 inches (50–90 cm) in length.
As juveniles, all species of Agkistrodon have a bright green-yellow color to their tail tips, believed to be used as a lure to attract prey items to approach within striking range.
The color fades to a grey or brown at about a year of age.
This form is typically a light tan in color, with darker brown, wide crossbands - which gives it its common name. The actual color varies, by locality, from a red-brown, to a gray-brown. In the western reaches of its range, the species can be difficult to distinguish from the Trans-Pecos copperhead, A. c. pictigaster. The only notable physical difference between the subspecies is the A. c. pictigaster tends to have an elaborately patterned underside, often being an irregular, white and black pattern, whereas A. laticinctus tends to be plain white, only have minimal patterning, or have elongated random blotching instead of a distinct pattern. The subspecies intergrade where their ranges overlap, further confusing identification. It also overlaps with the southern copperhead, A. c. contortrix in the eastern reaches of its range, making specimens there difficult to distinguish, but generally A. c. contortrix has banding that narrows at the spine, creating hourglass shapes, whereas A. laticinctus has bands that do not narrow at the spine. They grow to approximately 20-36 inches (50–90 cm) in length. As juveniles, all species of Agkistrodon have a bright green-yellow color to their tail tips, believed to be used as a lure to attract prey items to approach within striking range. The color fades to a grey or brown at about a year of age.
Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus