Description: This snake swam up onto this rock, which had been our jumping off point into a small lake at the bottom of a waterfall. We were on a hike inside Rincon de la Vieja national park, in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. Some people have suggested this could be a baby fer-de-lance or some other species of pit viper. It was not very big at all - the photo is a zoom shot. Any idea if this was in fact the fer-de-lance? Thanks so much.
The snake is a Neotropical Rattlesnake, Crotalus simus. These were formarly called Crotalus durissus. New born rattlesnakes have a single button on the end of their tails, so are not able to rattle. Each time they shed their skin, they add an new button.
![Costa Rica 2008 022.jpg [1867 Kb]](/libraries/download/6253/Costa Rica 2008 022.jpg)
