The large diamonds along the centre of the back are slightly darker than the background and are edged with paler scales , especially on the front half of the body . Its tail has narrow black and white rings in front of the rattle . The only distinctly reddish rattlesnake . Medium-sized rattlesnake that is easily confused with other species . There is usually a light-coloured stripe from the eye to the corner of the mouth .
Identification can be hard-look for the banded tail , with wide white and narrow black rings .
A heavy-bodied and attractively marked rattlesnake with a distinctive pattern . It may be grey , pinkish or lavender , with faint crossbands of a darker shade . It has a relatively small head and large rattle . More subtle coloration than most rattlesnakes . It is light brown , yellowish or tan with a row of the diamond-shaped blotches along the back .