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Southern ridge-nosed rattlesnake - Crotalus willardi meridionalis - © Frank Steffen

Venom LD50 (mg/kg)

The LD stands for "Lethal Dose". The 50 indicates the percentage of death in the group of test animals. LD50 is the amount of "material" given to a test group of animals (often mice or rats) of which 50% dies within a 24 hour timeframe.
It is a way for scientists to "measure" the acute toxicity of a "material", in this case snake venom.

The venom can be injected in a variety of ways:

Subcutaneous: beneath or just under the skin.
Intramuscular: directly into a muscle.
Intravenous: directly into a vein
Intraperitoneal : directly into the peritoneum (a thin transparent membrane that lines the walls of the abdomen).

This Venom LD50 list is measuring in milligrams per kilo. So for a Crotalus atrox with an average yield between 175 – 600mg (amount of venom the snake possesses) to kill 500gr of mice (50% of a kilo), only 18.5mg is needed when injected just under the skin and only 2.72mg into a vein.

Rattlesnake species
	scales			ventrals males	ventrals females	subcaudals males	subcaudals females
	LD50	yield	subcutaneous	intramuscular	intravenous	intraperitoneal	extra
Crotalus adamanteus Eastern diamondback rattlesnake	scales			165-176	170-187	27-33	20-26
Crotalus adamanteus Eastern diamondback rattlesnake	LD50	200-850	14,6		1,65	2,295	estimated lethal dose for a human: 90-100mg
Crotalus aquilus Querétaro dusky rattlesnake	scales			140-158	138-156	22-31	19-24
Crotalus aquilus Querétaro dusky rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus atrox Western diamondback rattlesnake	scales			168-193	174-196	21-32	16-24
Crotalus atrox Western diamondback rattlesnake	LD50	175-600	18,5	20	2,72	5,588	estimated lethal dose for a human 100mg
Crotalus basiliscus Mexican west coast rattlesnake	scales			178-201	184-206	26-36	18-30
Crotalus basiliscus Mexican west coast rattlesnake	LD50		2,8
Crotalus catalinensis Santa Catalina rattlesnake	scales			177-181	182-189	24-28	18-23
Crotalus catalinensis Santa Catalina rattlesnake	LD50			10,9		4,1
Crotalus cerastes Sidewinder	scales
Crotalus cerastes Sidewinder	LD50
Crotalus cerastes cerastes Mohave Desert sidewinder	scales			132-146	136-150	19-26	14-20
Crotalus cerastes cerastes Mohave Desert sidewinder	LD50	18-50			4
Crotalus cerastes cercobombus Sonoran Desert sidewinder	scales			132-144	138-148	18-24	14-19
Crotalus cerastes cercobombus Sonoran Desert sidewinder	LD50
Crotalus cerastes laterorepens Colorado Desert sidewinder	scales			137-151	135-154	19-26	14-21
Crotalus cerastes laterorepens Colorado Desert sidewinder	LD50
Crotalus cerberus Arizona black rattlesnake	scales			161-180	164-184	20-26	16-24
Crotalus cerberus Arizona black rattlesnake	LD50	112-150
Crotalus durissus South American rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus South American rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus durissus cascavella Northeastern Brazilian rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus durissus collilineatus Central Brazilian rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus durissus cumanensis Venezuelan rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus cumanensis Venezuelan rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus durissus durissus Neotropical rattlesnake	scales			155-179	168-190	25-32	26-29
Crotalus durissus durissus Neotropical rattlesnake	LD50	20-100			1,244	0,667
Crotalus durissus marajoensis Northeastern Brazilian rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus durissus maricelae (nomen nudum)	scales
Crotalus durissus maricelae (nomen nudum)	LD50
Crotalus durissus ruruima Mount Roraima rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus ruruima Mount Roraima rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus durissus terrificus South American rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus terrificus South American rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus durissus trigonicus Rupunini rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus trigonicus Rupunini rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus durissus unicolor Aruba Island rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus unicolor Aruba Island rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus durissus vegrandis Uracoan rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus durissus vegrandis Uracoan rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus enyo Baja California rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus enyo Baja California rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus enyo cerralvensis Cerralvo Island rattlesnake	scales			167-177	181	27-31	23
Crotalus enyo cerralvensis Cerralvo Island rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus enyo enyo Baja California rattlesnake	scales			157-174	161-177	22-28	18-23
Crotalus enyo enyo Baja California rattlesnake	LD50			4,6
Crotalus enyo furvus Rosario rattlesnake	scales			159-162	165-171	26-29	18-26
Crotalus enyo furvus Rosario rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus ericsmithi Guerrero long-tailed rattlesnake	scales				172		41
Crotalus ericsmithi Guerrero long-tailed rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus horridus Timber rattlesnake	scales			158-177	163-183	20-30	15-26
Crotalus horridus Timber rattlesnake	LD50	75-210	3,1		2,107	2,272	estimated lethal dose for a human: 70-100mg
Crotalus intermedius Mexican small-headed rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus intermedius Mexican small-headed rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus intermedius gloydi Oaxacan small-headed rattlesnake	scales			150-165	155-171	21-27	18-23
	LD50
Crotalus intermedius intermedius Totalcan small-headed rattlesnake	scales			151-161	156-165	24-29	20-24
	LD50				1,58
Crotalus intermedius omiltemanus Omilteman small-headed rattlesnake	scales			167-175	172-185	24-29	19-24
	LD50
Crotalus lannomi Autlan rattlesnake	scales				176		37
Crotalus lannomi Autlan rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus lepidus Rock rattlesnake	scales				>		>
Crotalus lepidus Rock rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus lepidus klauberi Banded rock rattlesnake	scales			152-172	155-170	20-29	16-24
Crotalus lepidus klauberi Banded rock rattlesnake	LD50	24-130	23,95		9
Crotalus lepidus lepidus Mottled rock rattlesnake	scales			150-168	149-168	21-29	17-23
Crotalus lepidus lepidus Mottled rock rattlesnake	LD50	24-130
Crotalus lepidus maculosus Durango rock rattlesnake	scales			159-169	157-173	26-33	20-25
Crotalus lepidus maculosus Durango rock rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus lepidus morulus Tamaulipan rock rattlesnake	scales			156-167	160-171	25-30	20-25
Crotalus lepidus morulus Tamaulipan rock rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus mitchellii Speckled rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus mitchellii Speckled rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus mitchellii angelensis Angel de la Guarda Island speckled rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus mitchellii mitchellii San Lucan speckled rattlesnake	scales			156-187	163-190	20-28	16-24
	LD50	33-90		0,3		0,18
Crotalus mitchellii muertenis El Muerto Island rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus Southwestern speckled rattlesnake	scales
	LD50	200-350		9,6		2,7
Crotalus molossus Black-tailed rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus molossus Black-tailed rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus molossus estebanensis San Esteban Island black-tailed rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus molossus molossus Northern black-tailed rattlesnake	scales			164-199	168-199	21-30	16-26
	LD50	286-540
Crotalus molossus nigrescens Mexican black-tailed rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus molossus oaxacus Oaxacan black-tailed rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus oreganus Western rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus oreganus Western rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus oreganus abyssus Grand Canyon rattlesnake	scales			173-185	179-191	23-29	18-24
Crotalus oreganus abyssus Grand Canyon rattlesnake	LD50	97-137
Crotalus oreganus caliginis Coronado Island rattlesnake	scales			167-174	171-179	22-28	15-23
Crotalus oreganus caliginis Coronado Island rattlesnake	LD50					2,26
Crotalus oreganus concolor Midget faded rattlesnake	scales			163-183	171-182	21-29	16-22
Crotalus oreganus concolor Midget faded rattlesnake	LD50	6-34			0,0825	0,2	males produce 2x as much venom as females
Crotalus oreganus helleri Southern Pacific rattlesnake	scales			162-184	166-189	19-29	15-25
Crotalus oreganus helleri Southern Pacific rattlesnake	LD50	112-390			1,135	2,44
Crotalus oreganus lutosus Great Basin rattlesnake	scales			171-189	174-196	20-29	16-24
Crotalus oreganus lutosus Great Basin rattlesnake	LD50	110-240				2,2
Crotalus oreganus oreganus Northern Pacific rattlesnake	scales			161-190	170-189	18-29	15-24
Crotalus oreganus oreganus Northern Pacific rattlesnake	LD50	90-289
Crotalus polystictus Mexican lance-headed rattlesnake	scales			161-177	167-187	25-29	17-25
Crotalus polystictus Mexican lance-headed rattlesnake	LD50		13,3		3,37		101,3mg venom was milked from a single snake
Crotalus pricei Twin-spotted rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus pricei Twin-spotted rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus pricei miquihuanus Eastern twin-spotted rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus pricei pricei Western twin-spotted rattlesnake	scales			137-162	143-171	21-33	18-27
Crotalus pricei pricei Western twin-spotted rattlesnake	LD50	4-8		11,5	3,07
Crotalus pusillus Tancitaran dusky rattlesnake	scales			152-162	150-162	28-33	25-29
Crotalus pusillus Tancitaran dusky rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus ravus Mexican pygmy rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus ravus Mexican pygmy rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus ravus brunneus Oaxacan pygmy rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus ravus brunneus Oaxacan pygmy rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus ravus exiguus Guerreran pygmy rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus ravus exiguus Guerreran pygmy rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus ravus ravus Central Plateau pygmy rattlesnake	scales			136-150	138-149	25-30	19-26
Crotalus ravus ravus Central Plateau pygmy rattlesnake	LD50						7mg venom from a single snake
Crotalus ruber Red diamond rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus ruber Red diamond rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus ruber exsul Cedros Island diamond rattlesnake	scales					18-26	17-23
Crotalus ruber exsul Cedros Island diamond rattlesnake	LD50		9,92	9,2	2,17	3,9	54mg venom was milked from a single snake
Crotalus ruber lorenzoensis San Lorenzo Island diamond rattlesnake	scales					21-23	15-19
	LD50
Crotalus ruber lucasensis San Lucan diamond rattlesnake	scales					22-29	17-23
Crotalus ruber lucasensis San Lucan diamond rattlesnake	LD50	230-710
Crotalus ruber ruber Red diamond rattlesnake	scales			179-203	183-206	22-29	16-25
Crotalus ruber ruber Red diamond rattlesnake	LD50	150-670					estimated lethal dose for a human 100mg
Crotalus scutulatus Mohave rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus scutulatus Mohave rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus scutulatus salvini Huamantlan rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus scutulatus salvini Huamantlan rattlesnake	LD50				0,24
Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus Northern Mohave rattlesnake	scales			165-187	165-192	21-29	15-23
	LD50	50-150			0,189	0,159	estimated lethal dose for a human 10-15mg
Crotalus simus Middle American rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus simus Middle American rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus simus culminatus Northwestern neotropical rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus simus simus Central American rattlesnake	scales			170-188	172-191	25-34	18-26
Crotalus simus simus Central American rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus simus tzabcan Yucatan neotropical rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus simus tzabcan Yucatan neotropical rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus stejnegeri Long-tailed rattlesnake	scales			174-178	171-176	43-48	36-37
Crotalus stejnegeri Long-tailed rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus stephensi Panamint rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus stephensi Panamint rattlesnake	LD50	73-129
Crotalus tancitarensis Tancítaran rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus tancitarensis Tancítaran rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus tigris Tiger rattlesnake	scales			156-172	164-177	23-27	16-21
Crotalus tigris Tiger rattlesnake	LD50	6-11	0,21		0,056
Crotalus tortugensis Tortuga Island diamond rattlesnake	scales			180-190	183-190	22-25	16-20
Crotalus tortugensis Tortuga Island diamond rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus totonacus Totonacan rattlesnake	scales			184-192	193-195	26-29	22-26
Crotalus totonacus Totonacan rattlesnake	LD50					2,5
Crotalus transversus Cross-banded mountain rattlesnake	scales			141-145	136-155	25-26	18-22
Crotalus transversus Cross-banded mountain rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus triseriatus Mexican dusky rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus triseriatus Mexican dusky rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus triseriatus armstrongi Mexican dusky rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus triseriatus armstrongi Mexican dusky rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus triseriatus triseriatus Central plateau dusky rattlesnake	scales			125-154	137-152	24-33	19-28
	LD50
Crotalus viridis Prairie rattlesnake	scales			162-178	169-184	21-28	14-22
Crotalus viridis Prairie rattlesnake	LD50	50-72
Crotalus willardi Ridge-nosed rattlesnake	scales
Crotalus willardi Ridge-nosed rattlesnake	LD50
Crotalus willardi amabilis Del Nido ridge-nosed rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus willardi meridionalis Southern ridge-nosed rattlesnake	scales					30+	27+
	LD50
Crotalus willardi obscurus New Mexican ridge-nosed rattlesnake	scales
	LD50
Crotalus willardi silus Western Chihuahuan ridge-nosed rattlesnake	scales
	LD50				1,61
Crotalus willardi willardi Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake	scales			146-158	147-159	25-30	21-25
	LD50						37mg venom was milked from a single snake
Sistrurus catenatus Massasauga	scales
Sistrurus catenatus Massasauga	LD50
Sistrurus catenatus catenatus Eastern massasauga	scales			129-155	132-160	25-36	19-29
Sistrurus catenatus catenatus Eastern massasauga	LD50	25-35					estimated lethal dose for a human: 30-40mg
Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi Desert massasauga	scales
Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi Desert massasauga	LD50
Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus Western massasauga	scales
Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus Western massasauga	LD50						37mg venom was milked from a single snake
Sistrurus miliarius Pygmy rattlesnake	scales
Sistrurus miliarius Pygmy rattlesnake	LD50
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri Dusky pygmy rattlesnake	scales
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri Dusky pygmy rattlesnake	LD50	12-35	24,3		12,59	6,882
Sistrurus miliarius miliarius Carolina pygmy rattlesnake	scales			122-144	123-148	28-39	25-35
Sistrurus miliarius miliarius Carolina pygmy rattlesnake	LD50
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri Western pygmy rattlesnake	scales
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri Western pygmy rattlesnake	LD50

Rattlesnake species