Agkistrodon (also known as Ancistrodon, Cottonmouth): A genus of venomous snakes of the subfamily Crotalinae. Twelve species of this genus are found in North and Central America and Asia. Agkistrodon contortrix is the copperhead, A. piscivorus, the cottonmouth. The former is named for its russet or orange-brown color,
NIH MeSH · D017836Organisms
Agkistrodon
Also known asAncistrodon · Cottonmouth · Cottonmouths · Agkistrodon piscivorus · Swamp Moccasin · Moccasin, Swamp · Swamp Moccasins · Black Moccasin · Black Moccasins · Moccasin, Black · Water Moccasins · Moccasin, Water
Definition
A genus of venomous snakes of the subfamily Crotalinae. Twelve species of this genus are found in North and Central America and Asia. Agkistrodon contortrix is the copperhead, A. piscivorus, the cottonmouth. The former is named for its russet or orange-brown color, the latter for the white interior of its mouth. (Goin, Goin, and Zug, Introduction to Herpetology, 3d ed, p336; Moore, Poisonous Snakes of the World, 1980, p75)
MeSH classification
B01.050.050.286.875.875.240.250
B01.050.150.900.833.672.125.937.240.250
B01.050.150.900.833.672.562.875.240.250
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A genus of venomous snakes of the subfamily Crotalinae. Twelve species of this genus are found in North and Central America and Asia. Agkistrodon contortrix is the copperhead, A. piscivorus, the cottonmouth. The former is named for its russet or orange-brown color, the latter for the white interior of its mouth. (Goin, Goin, and Zug, Introduction to Herpetology, 3d ed, p336; Moore, Poisonous Snakes of the World, 1980, p75) This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is Agkistrodon known by any other names?
Yes. Agkistrodon is also referred to as Ancistrodon, Cottonmouth, Cottonmouths, Agkistrodon piscivorus in different clinical, research and patient-facing contexts. The MeSH descriptor groups all of these synonyms under a single canonical concept so research and records stay consistent.
Where does Agkistrodon sit in the medical classification?
Agkistrodon falls under the broader medical category "Organisms" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: B01.050.050.286.875.875.240.250, B01.050.150.900.833.672.125.937.240.250, B01.050.150.900.833.672.562.875.240.250). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of Agkistrodon?
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