THE ART OF THE SILENT CLASH: FIRST RECORD OF RITUAL MALE COMBAT IN Crotalus molossus (SQUAMATA: VIPERIDAE) FROM ZACATECAS, MEXICO

Paulo Sergio Haro-Galván; José Miguel Cortés-Gaytán; Luis Daniel  López-de la Cruz; Hugo Bernardo Ávila-Isais; José Ángel Yaftté Sánchez-Ramírez

doi:10.22201/fc.25942158e.2026.1.1556

Autores/as

Paulo Sergio Haro-Galván Grupo Herpetológico de Antioquia https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4339-8564
José Miguel Cortés-Gaytán
Luis Daniel López-de la Cruz https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0256-5086
Hugo Bernardo Ávila-Isais
José Ángel Yaftté Sánchez-Ramírez https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5019-5275

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2026.1.1556

Palabras clave:

Competencia intraespecífica, comportamiento agonístico, etología, herpetología, serpientes de cascabel

Resumen

Documentamos un combate ritual entre machos de Crotalus molossus en un matorral xerófilo del municipio de Melchor Ocampo, Zacatecas, dentro del semidesierto zacatecano. Observamos a dos adultos realizando posturas agonísticas (elevación cefálica, empujes corporales y entrelazamientos parciales), sin evidencia de mordeduras. La interacción fue estereotipada y no lesiva, duró cerca de 15 minutos y concluyó cuando uno de los machos se retiró. De acuerdo con los registros disponibles, este es el primer caso documentado para Zacatecas y aporta nuevos datos a la historia natural de C. molossus en el norte de México, subrayando la necesidad de documentar más eventos para comprender mejor las interacciones agonísticas y su posible relación con la reproducción.

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