sidewinder

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sidewinder (horned rattlesnake) Nocturnal rattlesnake found in deserts of sw USA and Mexico. It has horn-like scales over the eyes and is usually tan with a light pattern. It loops obliquely across the sand, leaving a J-shaped trail. Length: to 75cm (30in). Family Viperidae; species Crotalus cerastes. The term is also used to describe desert-dwelling snakes of the Old World that move in a similar way.

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