Agkistrodon piscivorus

Agkistrodon piscivorus is a venomous pit viper native to the southeastern United States. It is commonly called the cottonmouth or water moccasin.

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Pit viper: A venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae, distinguished by heat-sensitive facial pits. Cottonmouths belong to this group and use its heat-sensing system to detect prey.
Snake venom: A secretion produced by specialized glands in some snakes and delivered through modified teeth. Cottonmouth venom is a specialized snake venom delivered through hollow, hinged fangs.
Snakebite: An injury caused when a snake's teeth penetrate a person's or animal's skin. Cottonmouth bites are a medically significant form of venomous snakebite.
Everglades: A subtropical wetland ecosystem in southern Florida. Cottonmouths inhabit the Everglades' marshes, swamps, and waterways.
Snake: An elongated, limbless reptile belonging to the suborder Serpentes. The cottonmouth shares the defining body plan and biology of snakes.
Snake fang: A modified tooth that injects venom in venomous snakes. Cottonmouths use front fangs to deliver venom during a bite.
Antivenom: A preparation of antibodies or antibody fragments used to neutralize toxins in venom. Antivenom may be used to treat severe cottonmouth envenomation.
Cypress swamp: A wetland forest dominated by cypress trees, often subject to seasonal flooding. Cypress swamps provide the aquatic cover and prey-rich habitat cottonmouths use.
Jacobson's organ: A paired chemosensory organ in the roof of the mouth that processes compounds collected by the tongue. Tongue-flicking carries chemical cues to this organ, helping cottonmouths investigate their surroundings.
Pit organ: A heat-sensitive facial organ found in pit vipers that detects infrared radiation. Paired pits help cottonmouths locate warm-bodied prey, especially in low light.