Arizona Black Rattlesnakes are amazingly variable in appearance across their range. Most that are seen and photographed are in the relatively well-populated areas of the Mogollon Rim between Flagstaff, Prescott, and Payson. In other parts of their range, however, they look a bit less familiar. This one from the far eastern end of their range in largely inaccessible ranges of Greenlee County has a much messier, mottled look than is typically expected of the species, but common in the area.
An Arizona Black Rattlesnake resting in partial cover after an exceptionally rainy few days. In this area, along the eastern edge of their range in Arizona, the species can look a bit different. The light bands on this individual, for instance, are wide, in some cases as wide as the darker blotches they surround, and the snake may never darken (much). This is typical for the area, though, as most of the photos you may see of Arizona Black Rattlesnakes online or in field guides are from a handful of more central locations.
