Tropical Rattlesnake
Crotalus durissus durissus
From: Mexico to Costa Rica
Size: to 4 feet
This is the only rattlesnake found south of Mexico. Mayan Indians believed that this snake was an earthly form of one of their gods. They thought that the shedding of the old skin and emerging in vibrant colors demonstrated the cycle of birth and rebirth. However, the translation of the Indian name is "neck breaker" due to the neurotoxic effect of the venom.