Asheville Wildside Creature Feature! Trans Pecos Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster) One of the most commonly encountered venomous species of snake in the U.S. is the ubiquitous Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix). This widespread pit viper has five sub-species including the nominate southern form (A. c. contortrix). The one we will be looking at is the sub-species with the westernmost range. The Trans Pecos Copperhead is found in dry sparsely vegetated scrub la