massasauga

American  

[mas-uh-saw-guh] / ˌmæs əˈsɔ gə /

noun

1. a small rattlesnake, Sistrurus catenatus, ranging from the Great Lakes to the Mexican border.

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massasauga British  

/ ˌmæsəˈsɔːɡə /

noun

1. a North American venomous snake, Sistrurus catenatus, that has a horny rattle at the end of the tail: family Crotalidae (pit vipers)

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Etymology

Origin of massasauga

First recorded in 1830–40; irregular after Missisauga River, Ontario, Canada

Example Sentences

They then compared 90 of those sequences to sequenced genomes of 10 Western massasauga rattlesnakes, a common species with no limitations on breeding opportunities and large populations.

From Science Daily • Oct. 16, 2023

The endangered eastern massasauga and the timber rattlesnake are the only venomous species native to Wisconsin.

From Washington Times • Feb. 20, 2021

"I am sure there is no danger from that source; but Douglas, did you ever hear of, or see, a massasauga?"

From Michael O'Halloran by Stratton-Porter, Gene

Massasauga The massasauga is the rattlesnake occasionally found in the swamps from western New York to Nebraska, but it is rare.

From On the Trail An Outdoor Book for Girls by Beard, Lina