massasauga

massasauga
/mas'euh saw"geuh/, n.
a small rattlesnake, Sistrurus catenatus, ranging from the Great Lakes to the Mexican border.
[1830-40; irreg. after Missisauga River, Ontario, Canada]

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 small North American rattlesnake of the family Viperidae, found in prairies, swamps, and woodlands from the Great Lakes to Arizona. It is typically 45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 inches) long.

      The massasauga may be totally black but is more commonly gray or tan with rows of black or brown spots on its back and sides. It is a venomous snake, usually secretive and unaggressive, that can deliver a painful but rarely fatal bite. The massasauga and the pygmy rattlesnake (S. miliarius) of eastern North America primarily consume frogs, lizards, and rodents. Both are live-bearers.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Massasauga — Mas sa*sau ga, n. (Zo[ o]l.) The black rattlesnake ({Crotalus tergemina}, or {Caudisona tergemina}), found in the Mississippi Valley. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • massasauga — ☆ massasauga [mas΄ə sô′gə ] n. [< Mississauga, Ojibwa name of river and Indian people in Ontario] a small, gray or brownish rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) found in swampy regions in the E and S U.S …   English World dictionary

  • massasauga — mas·sa·sau·ga .mas ə sȯg ə n a medium sized rattlesnake of the genus Sistrurus (S. catenatus) that has nine large scales on the head, grows to a length of about 18 to 39 inches (46 to 100 centimeters), and is distributed from southern Ontario… …   Medical dictionary

  • Massasauga rattlesnake — massasauga …   Medical dictionary

  • Massasauga Provincial Park — IUCN Category II (National Park) Moon Island Nearest …   Wikipedia

  • massasauga rattler — noun pygmy rattlesnake found in moist areas from the Great Lakes to Mexico; feeds on mice and small amphibians • Syn: ↑massasauga, ↑Sistrurus catenatus • Hypernyms: ↑rattlesnake, ↑rattler • Member Holonyms: ↑Sistrurus, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • massasauga — noun Etymology: Missisauga River, Ontario, Canada Date: 1835 a small North American rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • massasauga — noun The rattlesnake Crotalus catenatus or Sistrurus catenatus in the family Viperidae. It is found in three subspecies. Syn: black rattlesnake, Caudisona …   Wiktionary

  • massasauga — mas·sa·sau·ga …   English syllables

  • massasauga — mas•sa•sau•ga [[t]ˌmæs əˈsɔ gə[/t]] n. pl. gas ram a small rattlesnake, Sistrurus catenatus, found from the Great Lakes to the Mexican border • Etymology: 1830–40; irreg. after the Missisauga River, Ontario, Canada …   From formal English to slang

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