List of reptiles of Texas
This is a list of Texas reptiles, including all snakes, lizards, crocodilians, and turtles native to the state of Texas.
The state of Texas has a large variety of habitats, from swamps, coastal marshes and pine forests in the east, rocky hills and limestone karst in the center, desert in the south and west, mountains in the far west, and grassland prairie in the north. This vast contrast in biomes makes Texas home to an extremely wide variety of herpetofauna. Its central position in the United States means that species found primarily in either the western or eastern reaches of the country often have their ranges meeting in the state. Its proximity to Mexico is such that many species found there and into Central America range as far north as Texas. The abundance of reptiles makes the state a prime area for research, and most species found in Texas have been well studied.
Texas state law protects several reptile species; threatened species denoted as (T) and endangered species denoted as (E). The moderate climate of Texas has also led to some species being introduced to the state and establishing a permanent population, denoted as (I).
Least-concern species | |
Vulnerable species | |
Endangered species | |
Critically endangered | |
Invasive species |
Crocodilians[]
Picture | Scientific name | Common name | Family | Conservation status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family: Alligatoridae (alligators and caimans) | ||||
Alligator mississippiensis | American alligator | Alligatoridae | IUCN (LC) |
Lizards[]
Picture | Scientific name | Common name | Family | Conservation status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family: Anguidae (anguid and legless lizards) | ||||
Gerrhonotus infernalis | Texas alligator lizard | Anguidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Ophisaurus attenuatus | western slender glass lizard | Anguidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Family: Dactyloidae (anoles) | ||||
Anolis carolinensis | green anole | Dactyloidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Anolis sagrei | brown anole | Dactyloidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (I) | |
Family: Crotaphytidae (collared and leopard lizards) | ||||
Crotaphytus collaris | eastern collared lizard | Crotaphytidae | ||
Crotaphytus reticulatus | reticulated collared lizard | Crotaphytidae | IUCN (VU) Texas (T) | |
Gambelia wislizenii | longnose leopard lizard | Crotaphytidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Family: Gekkonidae (geckos) | ||||
Coleonyx brevis | Texas banded gecko | Gekkonidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Coleonyx reticulatus | reticulated gecko | Gekkonidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Cyrtopodion scabrum | rough-tailed gecko | Gekkonidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (I) | |
Hemidactylus turcicus | Mediterranean gecko | Gekkonidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (I) | |
Hemidactylus frenatus | Asian house gecko | Gekkonidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (I) | |
Family: Iguanidae (iguanas) | ||||
Iguana iguana | green iguana | Iguanidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (I) | |
Ctenosaura pectinata | Mexican spinytail iguana | Iguanidae | Texas (I) | |
Family: Phrynosomatidae (sand, horned, and spiny lizards) | ||||
Cophosaurus texanus | greater earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Holbrookia lacerata | spot-tailed earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (NT) | |
Holbrookia subcaudalis | southern earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Holbrookia approximans | speckled earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Holbrookia maculata | lesser earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Holbrookia maculata perspicua | prairie earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Holbrookia propinqua | keeled earless lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Phrynosoma cornutum | Texas horned lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Phrynosoma douglasii | short-horned lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Phrynosoma modestum | roundtail horned lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Sceloporus arenicolus | dunes sagebrush lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (VU) Texas (T) | |
Sceloporus graciosus | sagebrush lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Sceloporus grammicus | mesquite lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Sceloporus magister | desert spiny lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Sceloporus merriami annulatus | Big Bend Canyon lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus | Presidio Canyon lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Sceloporus merriami | canyon lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Sceloporus olivaceus | Texas spiny lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Sceloporus poinsettii | crevice spiny lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Sceloporus serrifer | blue spiny lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | |
southern prairie lizard | Phrynosomatidae | |||
northern prairie lizard | Phrynosomatidae | |||
northern fence lizard | Phrynosomatidae | |||
Sceloporus variabilis | rosebelly lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Texas tree lizard | Phrynosomatidae | IUCN (LC) | ||
Big Bend tree lizard | Phrynosomatidae | |||
Uta stansburiana | common side-blotched lizard | Phrynosomatidae | ||
Family: Scincidae (skinks) | ||||
southern coal skink | Scincidae | |||
Plestiodon fasciatus | five-lined skink | Scincidae | ||
Plestiodon laticeps | broadhead skink | Scincidae | IUCN (LC) | |
variable skink | Scincidae | |||
Plestiodon obsoletus | Great Plains Skink | Scincidae | IUCN (LC) | |
southern prairie skink | Scincidae | |||
Plestiodon tetragrammus brevilineatus | short-lined skink | Scincidae | ||
Plestiodon tetragrammus tetragrammus | four-lined skink | Scincidae | ||
Scincella lateralis | ground skink | Scincidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Family: Teiidae (whiptails) | ||||
Aspidoscelis exsanguis | Chihuahuan spotted whiptail | Teiidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Aspidoscelis gularis | Texas spotted whiptail | Teiidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Aspidoscelis inornatus heptagrammus | Trans-Pecos striped whiptail | Teiidae | ||
Aspidoscelis laredoensis | Laredo striped whiptail | Teiidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Aspidoscelis marmoratus | marbled whiptail | Teiidae | ||
Aspidoscelis neomexicanus | New Mexico whiptail | Teiidae | IUCN (LC) | |
eastern six-lined racerunner | Teiidae | |||
prairie racerunner | Teiidae | |||
Aspidoscelis tesselatus | checkered whiptail | Teiidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Aspidoscelis uniparens | desert grassland whiptail | Teiidae | IUCN (LC) |
Snakes[]
Picture | Scientific name | Common name | Family | Conservation status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family: Leptotyphlopidae (blind snakes) | ||||
Leptotyphlops dulcis dissectus | New Mexico blind snake | Leptotyphlopidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Leptotyphlops dulcis dulcis | Plains blind snake | Leptotyphlopidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Trans-Pecos blind snake | Leptotyphlopidae | |||
Family: Colubridae (colubrids) | ||||
Arizona elegans arenicola | Texas glossy snake | Colubridae | ||
Arizona elegans elegans | Kansas glossy snake | Colubridae | ||
Arizona elegans philipi | Painted Desert glossy snake | Colubridae | ||
Bogertophis subocularis | Trans-Pecos rat snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Carphophis vermis | western worm snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Cemophora coccinea copei | northern scarlet snake | Colubridae | ||
Cemophora coccinea lineri | Texas scarlet snake | Colubridae | Texas (T) | |
Coluber constrictor anthicus | buttermilk racer | Colubridae | ||
Coluber constrictor etheridgei | tan racer | Colubridae | ||
Coluber constrictor flaviventris | eastern yellowbelly racer | Colubridae | ||
Coluber constrictor oaxaca | Mexican racer | Colubridae | ||
Coluber constrictor priapus | southern black racer | Colubridae | ||
black-striped snake | Colubridae | Texas (T) | ||
Diadophis punctatus arnyi | prairie ringneck snake | Colubridae | ||
Diadophis punctatus regalis | regal ringneck snake | Colubridae | ||
Diadophis punctatus stictogenys | Mississippi ringneck snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Drymarchon corais erebennus | Texas indigo snake | Colubridae | Texas (T) | |
Drymobius margaritiferus | speckled racer | Colubridae | Texas (T) | |
Elaphe bairdi | Baird's rat snake | Colubridae | ||
Great Plains rat snake | Colubridae | |||
Elaphe guttata guttata | corn snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri | Texas rat snake | Colubridae | ||
Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta | black rat snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Elaphe slowinskii | Slowinski's corn snake | Colubridae | ||
Farancia abacura | mud snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Ficimia streckeri | Mexican hooknose snake | Colubridae | ||
Gyalopion canum | western hooknose snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Mexican hognose snake | Colubridae | |||
dusty hognose snake | Colubridae | |||
Heterodon nasicus nasicus | western hognose snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Heterodon platirhinos | eastern hognose snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Hypsiglena torquata jani | Texas night snake | Colubridae | ||
Lampropeltis alterna | grey-banded kingsnake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Lampropeltis calligaster | prairie kingsnake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Lampropeltis getula holbrooki | speckled kingsnake | Colubridae | ||
Lampropeltis getula splendida | desert kingsnake | Colubridae | ||
Louisiana milk snake | Colubridae | |||
Lampropeltis triangulum annulata | Mexican milk snake | Colubridae | ||
New Mexico milk snake | Colubridae | |||
Central Plains milk snake | Colubridae | |||
Leptodeira septentrionalis | northern cat-eyed snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Liodytes rigida | Gulf crayfish snake | Colubridae | ||
Masticophis flagellum flagellum | eastern coachwhip | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
western coachwhip | Colubridae | |||
Schott's whipsnake | Colubridae | |||
Ruthven's whipsnake | Colubridae | |||
Central Texas whipsnake | Colubridae | |||
desert striped whipsnake | Colubridae | |||
Nerodia clarkii | salt marsh snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Nerodia clarkii clarkii | Gulf salt marsh snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Nerodia cyclopion | Mississippi green water snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster | red-bellied water snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
blotched water snake | Colubridae | |||
Nerodia fasciata confluens | broad-banded water snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris | Florida water snake | Colubridae | ||
Nerodia harteri | Brazos Water Snake | Colubridae | IUCN (NT) Texas (T) | |
Nerodia paucimaculata | Concho water snake | Colubridae | IUCN (NT) Texas (T) | |
Nerodia rhombifer | Diamondback water snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Opheodrys aestivus | rough green snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Opheodrys vernalis | smooth green snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Pituophis catenifer affinis | Sonoran gopher snake | Colubridae | ||
Pituophis catenifer sayi | bull snake | Colubridae | ||
Pituophis ruthveni | Louisiana pine snake | Colubridae | IUCN (EN) Texas (T) | |
Regina grahamii | Graham's crayfish snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus | Texas longnose snake | Colubridae | ||
Big Bend patchnose snake | Colubridae | Texas (T) | ||
mountain patchnose snake | Colubridae | |||
Texas patchnose snake | Colubridae | |||
Sonora semiannulata | ground snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
marsh brown snake | Colubridae | |||
Storeria dekayi texana | Texas brown snake | Colubridae | ||
Storeria occipitomaculata | redbelly snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Mexican blackhead snake | Colubridae | |||
Big Bend blackhead snake | Colubridae | |||
Tantilla gracilis | flathead snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Tantilla hobartsmithi | southwestern blackhead snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Tantilla nigriceps | Plains blackhead snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis | blackneck garter snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Thamnophis marcianus | checkered garter snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
arid land ribbon snake | Colubridae | |||
Gulf Coast ribbon snake | Colubridae | |||
western ribbon snake | Colubridae | |||
Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus | redstripe ribbon snake | Colubridae | ||
Thamnophis radix | Plains garter snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Thamnophis sirtalis annectens | Texas garter snake | Colubridae | ||
New Mexico garter snake | Colubridae | |||
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis | common garter snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Trimorphodon vilkinsonii | Texas lyre snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Tropidoclonion lineatum texanum | Texas lined snake | Colubridae | ||
Virginia valeriae | smooth earth snake | Colubridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Family: Elapidae (elapids) | ||||
Micrurus tener | Texas coral snake | Elapidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Family: Viperidae (vipers) | ||||
Agkistrodon contortrix | eastern copperhead | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Agkistrodon laticinctus | broad-banded copperhead | Viperidae | ||
Agkistrodon piscivorus | northern cottonmouth | Viperidae | ||
Crotalus atrox | western diamondback rattlesnake | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Crotalus horridus | timber rattlesnake | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) | |
Crotalus lepidus klauberi | banded rock rattlesnake | Viperidae | ||
Crotalus lepidus lepidus | Mottled rock rattlesnake | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Crotalus molossus molossus | northern blacktail rattlesnake | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Crotalus scutulatus | Mojave rattlesnake | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Crotalus viridis viridis | prairie rattlesnake | Viperidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii | desert massasauga | Viperidae | ||
Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus | western massasauga | Viperidae | ||
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri | western pigmy rattlesnake | Viperidae |
Turtles[]
Picture | Scientific name | Common name | Family | Conservation status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family: Cheloniidae (marine turtles) | ||||
Caretta caretta | loggerhead sea turtle | Cheloniidae | IUCN (VU) Texas (T) | |
Chelonia mydas | green turtle | Cheloniidae | IUCN (EN) Texas (T) | |
Eretmochelys imbricata | hawksbill sea turtle | Cheloniidae | IUCN (CR) Texas (E) | |
Lepidochelys kempii | Atlantic Ridley | Cheloniidae | IUCN (CR) Texas (E) | |
Family: Dermochelidae (leatherback sea turtles) | ||||
Dermochelys coriacea | leatherback sea turtle | Dermochelidae | IUCN (VU) Texas (E) | |
Family: Kinosternidae (mud and musk turtles) | ||||
Kinosternon flavescens | yellow mud turtle | Kinosternidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Kinosternon hirtipes | rough-footed mud turtle | Kinosternidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Mississippi mud turtle | Kinosternidae | |||
Sternotherus carinatus | razorback musk turtle | Kinosternidae | ||
Sternotherus odoratus | common musk turtle | Kinosternidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Family: Emydidae (water and box turtles) | ||||
Chrysemys picta bellii | western painted turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Chrysemys picta dorsalis | southern painted turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Deirochelys reticularia | chicken turtle | Emydidae | ||
Graptemys caglei | Cagle's map turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (EN) | |
Graptemys ouachitensis | Oachita map turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Graptemys pseudogeographica | false map turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Graptemys versa | Texas map turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Malaclemys terrapin | diamondback terrapin | Emydidae | IUCN (VU) | |
Pseudemys concinna concinna | Eastern river cooter | Emydidae | ||
Pseudemys gorzugi | Rio Grande cooter | Emydidae | IUCN (NT) | |
Pseudemys texana | Texas river cooter | Emydidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Terrapene carolina carolina | eastern box turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (VU) | |
Terrapene ornata luteola | desert box turtle | Emydidae | ||
Terrapene ornata ornata | ornate box turtle | Emydidae | IUCN (NT) | |
Trachemys gaigeae | Big Bend slider | Emydidae | IUCN (VU) | |
Trachemys scripta elegans | red-eared slider | Emydidae | ||
Family: Chelydridae (snapping turtles) | ||||
Chelydra serpentina | common snapping turtle | Chelydridae | IUCN (LC) | |
Macrochelys temminckii | alligator snapping turtle | Chelydridae | IUCN (VU) | |
Family: Trionychidae (softshell turtles) | ||||
Apalone mutica | smooth softshell turtle | Trionychidae | IUCN (LC) | |
Apalone spinifera emoryi | Texas spiny softshell turtle | Trionychidae | ||
Apalone spinifera guadalupensis | Guadalupe spiny softshell turtle | Trionychidae | ||
Apalone spinifera hartwegi | western spiny softshell turtle | Trionychidae | ||
Apalone spinifera pallida | Pallid spiny softshell turtle | Trionychidae | ||
Family: Testudinidae (gopher tortoises) | ||||
Gopherus berlandieri | Texas tortoise | Testudinidae | IUCN (LC) Texas (T) |
See also[]
- List of Texas amphibians
References[]
- Lists of fauna of Texas
- Lists of reptiles of the United States