Project:

Sidewinders in Southwest America

Students:

Henry Kates, Nicole Kanzler

Institution:

Baruch College Campus High School, Brooklyn

Mentors:

Edward Myers

Abstract:

This study focuses on three subspecies of Sidewinder Rattlesnake (the Mojave Desert Sidewinder, the Colorado Desert Sidewinder, and the Sonoran Sidewinder). The goal is to inspect the genetic differences between these subspecies and determine whether they are great enough to categorize the three as entirely different species altogether. We are planning on sequencing the Mitochondrial DNA of these subspecies and creating a phylogenetic tree representing our findings. We can then quantify the genetic diversity of these subspecies and share these findings with conservation management agencies like the US Fish and Wildlife Services.

Poster:

Team samples: