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Description
Scientific name: Crotalus atlanticum.

Diet: Carnivore.

Habitat: Rainforest, deciduous forest, swamps, deserts, and low mountain elevations.

Home: Monster Island.

Population: Stable.

Slithering along the forest floors of Monster Island the Atlantic Ruby Rattlesnake is among the largest rattlesnakes discovered thus far. They can grow to an average of 7 ft in length and can weigh up to 25 ib, larger and heavier than it's closet realtive the "Eastern Diamondback" of North America. Like their relative they are good swimmers and that likely aided them in making landfall on the island in the first place. This event likey occured with the last 2 million years.

Once arriving on Monster Island this snake's ancestors found themselves in a environment where there was little competition and predators. These factors has allowed these snakes to grow larger and even split into multiple subspecies occupying different environments making them one of the most common native predators on the island. They mainly feed upon small mammals, birds, and reptiles however the introduction of multiple foreign had broaden its diet to include small dinosaurs and hatchlings as seen here with a unfortunate Compsagnathus and a cautious mother Herrerasaurus protecting her young.

Preying upon dinosaurs is a dangerous prospect luckily the Atlantic Ruby has a number of tricks up its nonexistent sleeves. Like all rattlesnakes this animal has the iconic rattle, a specialized set of scales at the end of its tail that creates a loud and unnerving sound that deters many would be attackers. While doing this the snake has a tendency to coil around itself and puff out it's buddy making it look larger than this already large snake really is. Once a threat gets the message the snake will make a quick getaway under any cover it can find. If all that fails the snake may use it's main weapon, a highly potent venom. This venom is strong enough to allow the snake to kill small prey quickly and and very painful sensations and sometimes death for much larger animals. If a larger animal survives it gets the message to give this species a wide berth. Over time even the ferocious velociraptors have learned to fear this creature.

When not hunting the snake prefers to hide in the underbrush and in burrows. These burrows are dug by the various species of tortoise and other burrowing animals. In these burrows the snake is a surprising good roommate. Neither it or tortoise host mind each other's presence, and not only that a number of small animals from frogs to tiny birds make their nests in these burrows even with a snake occupying it and it leaves them alone. It's clear a symbiotic relationship is going on here with the tortoise maintaining the burrow, smaller animals keeping the place clean from unwanted pests and the snake acting as the guard dog.

Despite these survival strategies the snake is not always the victor. There are a few other larger, deadlier snakes that can prey upon this rattler. Large birds of prey occasionally are able to snatch this snake without getting bit. Another creature the "Noctupervagus", a flightless bird from Skull Island that is specializes in eating large centipedes has quickly adapted to dispatching venomous snakes by quickly pinning them down with its foot before removing the snake's head and the deadly fangs.

Currently the rattlesnake population is at a very healthy level. Due to it adding the quick-breeding Compsagnathus to it's regular diet, it has helped in keeping the little dinosaur from spreading out of control. There is ongoing research which involves this snake to help develope counter measures in the event of compy population explosion on the mainland.

Description
Scientific name: Crotalus atlanticum.

Diet: Carnivore.

Habitat: Rainforest, deciduous forest, swamps, deserts, and low mountain elevations.

Home: Monster Island.

Population: Stable.

Slithering along the forest floors of Monster Island the Atlantic Ruby Rattlesnake is among the largest rattlesnakes discovered thus far. They can grow to an average of 7 ft in length and can weigh up to 25 ib, larger and heavier than it's closet realtive the "Eastern Diamondback" of North America. Like their relative they are good swimmers and that likely aided them in making landfall on the island in the first place. This event likey occured with the last 2 million years.

Once arriving on Monster Island this snake's ancestors found themselves in a environment where there was little competition and predators. These factors has allowed these snakes to grow larger and even split into multiple subspecies occupying different environments making them one of the most common native predators on the island. They mainly feed upon small mammals, birds, and reptiles however the introduction of multiple foreign had broaden its diet to include small dinosaurs and hatchlings as seen here with a unfortunate Compsagnathus and a cautious mother Herrerasaurus protecting her young.

Preying upon dinosaurs is a dangerous prospect luckily the Atlantic Ruby has a number of tricks up its nonexistent sleeves. Like all rattlesnakes this animal has the iconic rattle, a specialized set of scales at the end of its tail that creates a loud and unnerving sound that deters many would be attackers. While doing this the snake has a tendency to coil around itself and puff out it's buddy making it look larger than this already large snake really is. Once a threat gets the message the snake will make a quick getaway under any cover it can find. If all that fails the snake may use it's main weapon, a highly potent venom. This venom is strong enough to allow the snake to kill small prey quickly and and very painful sensations and sometimes death for much larger animals. If a larger animal survives it gets the message to give this species a wide berth. Over time even the ferocious velociraptors have learned to fear this creature.

When not hunting the snake prefers to hide in the underbrush and in burrows. These burrows are dug by the various species of tortoise and other burrowing animals. In these burrows the snake is a surprising good roommate. Neither it or tortoise host mind each other's presence, and not only that a number of small animals from frogs to tiny birds make their nests in these burrows even with a snake occupying it and it leaves them alone. It's clear a symbiotic relationship is going on here with the tortoise maintaining the burrow, smaller animals keeping the place clean from unwanted pests and the snake acting as the guard dog.

Despite these survival strategies the snake is not always the victor. There are a few other larger, deadlier snakes that can prey upon this rattler. Large birds of prey occasionally are able to snatch this snake without getting bit. Another creature the "Noctupervagus", a flightless bird from Skull Island that is specializes in eating large centipedes has quickly adapted to dispatching venomous snakes by quickly pinning them down with its foot before removing the snake's head and the deadly fangs.

Currently the rattlesnake population is at a very healthy level. Due to it adding the quick-breeding Compsagnathus to it's regular diet, it has helped in keeping the little dinosaur from spreading out of control. There is ongoing research which involves this snake to help develope counter measures in the event of compy population explosion on the mainland.