Dinosaurs, Snakes, and Other Reptiles
Alligators and Caimans: Alligatoridae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, American Alligator (alligator Mississippiensis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, CAIMANS ALLIGATORS AND PEOPLE
Depending on the species, alligators and caimans may live in Central America, Mexico, the southeastern United States, South America, and/or eastern China. Alligators and caimans are freshwater species that prefer still or slow-moving water, even if it is muddy or murky. Besides lakes, rivers, and streams, they are often found in swamps, marshes, and roadside ditches. Seven of the eight specie…
Kraits Cobras Sea Snakes and Relatives: Elapidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, North American Coral Snake (micrurus Fulvius): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, KRAITS COBRAS SEA SNAKES THEIR RELATIVES AND PEOPLE,
The elapids live in Africa, Asia, Australia, the United States and Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Pacific and Indian Oceans. More than half of the venomous snake species in the world belong to this family, which includes cobras, mambas, coral snakes, land-living kraits, brown snakes, taipans (TY-pans), death adders, sea kraits, and sea snakes. Some of them are quite deadly to…
Reptiles - Species List by Biome
Blind lizard Boomslang Common chameleon Common garter snake Eastern box turtle Eastern hog-nosed snake Florida wormlizard Flying lizard Frilled lizard Green anole Green python House gecko Indigo snake Milksnake Neotropical sunbeam snake North American coral snake Reticulated python Texas blind snake Timber rattlesnake Green seaturtle Loggerhead turtle Agamodon anguliceps Armored chameleon Black-he…
Species List by Geographic Range
Gharial Common chameleon Horned viper Sandfish Black-necked spitting cobra Boomslang Helmeted turtle Nile crocodile Southern burrowing asp Leatherback seaturtle White-bellied wormlizard Green seaturtle Leatherback seaturtle Loggerhead turtle Black-headed python Blackish blind snake Death adder Frilled lizard Green python House gecko Little file snake Pig-nose turtle Sand lizard House gecko King co…
Calotes Angleheads Dragon Lizards and Relatives: Agamidae - Physical Description, Behavior And Reproduction, Spiny Agama (agama Hispida): Species Accounts, Frilled Lizard (chlamydosaurus Kingii):species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, AGAMIDS
Agamids are found in Europe and Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and the Philippines. They also inhabit New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Australia. Agamids prefer to live in sandy and rocky deserts. They also may be found in dry forest habitats and dry scrub areas, which are flat areas with small bushes. Flying lizards are found in rainforests, areas with a great …
Chameleons: Chamaeleonidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Jackson's Chameleon (chamaeleo Jacksonii): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CHAMELEONS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
Chameleons are found mainly in Madagascar and Africa, and a few species live in southern Europe, Asia, the Seychelles and the Comoros. No chameleons are native to the Americas, which means that all of them were brought into the Americas. One species is now found there in the wild. Chameleons live in a variety of habitats, such as dry deserts; tropical, rainy woodlands of evergreens; forests w…
Iguanas Anoles and Relatives: Iguanidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Cape Spinytail Iguana (ctenosaura Hemilopha): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, IGUANIDS AND PEOPLE
Iguanid lizards are found in North America, Central America, South America, Fiji, the Galápagos Islands, Madagascar, and the West Indies. Iguanids live in a variety of habitats. They usually are terrestrial, living on land. A few are arboreal, living in trees. Many prefer arid, or dry, areas. These desert dwellers often seek territories, or home areas, with at least some vegetation, ro…
Blindskinks: Dibamidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, BLINDSKINKS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
The majority of blindskink species are found in eastern India; southern Thailand; Borneo; Vietnam; Laos; Kampuchea; the Nicobar, Sunda, and Andaman Islands; southern China; Sumatra; Malaysia; most of Indonesia; the Philippines; and westernmost New Guinea. A single species is found in a very small area of northeastern Mexico. Blindskinks do not interact with people. Few people ever see them. B…
Florida Wormlizard: Rhineuridae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - FLORIDA WORM LIZARDS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
People rarely see these shy animals, but they may get some benefits from the wormlizards. If they eat ants, termites, and beetle grubs, the wormlizards may be helping to rid gardens and parks of some of humankind's pests. This species is not considered endangered or threatened. …
Microteiids: Gymnophthalmidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, No Common Name (bachia Bresslaui): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, MICROTEIIDS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
Microteiids live in southern Mexico, in Central America, on the Caribbean islands, and throughout much of South America, where they reach as far south as north-central Argentina. The microteiids live in tropical forests, often by water. They usually stay out of sight under piles of leaves, beneath logs, or in other hiding places and will often dive into the water to escape predators (PREH-duh…
Reptiles: Pronunciation Guide for Scientific Names
Acanthophis antarcticus uh-KAN-thuh-fuhs ant-ARK-tih-kuhs Acrochordidae AK-ruh-KOR-duh-dee Acrochordus granulatus AK-ruh-KOR-duhs GRAN-yoo-LAH-tuhs Agama hispida uh-GAM-uh HIH-spih-duh Agamidae uh-GAM-uh-dee Agamodon anguliceps uh-GAM-uh-don AN-guh-LIH-seps Agkistrodon piscivorus ag-KIS-truh-DON PIH-sih-VER-uhs Alligator mississippiensis AL-uh-GAY-der MIS-uh-SIP-ee-EN-suhs Alligatoridae AL-uh-guh-…
Getting to Know Reptiles
Getting to Know Reptiles Snakes, crocodiles and alligators, lizards, and turtles might not look alike at first glance, but they all share certain features. These animals, plus the tuataras that resemble a cross between a prehistoric dinosaur and a present-day lizard, are reptiles. In all, the world holds 285 species of turtles, 23 crocodiles and alligators, two tuataras, 4,450 lizards, and 2,9…
Turtles and Tortoises: Testudines - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, TORTOISES TURTLES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
Turtles and tortoises live on all continents except Antarctica. Depending on the species, turtles and tortoises can live on land, in fresh water, in the ocean, and along the coast. They live on many of the larger islands of the oceans and on every continent of the world except Antarctica. Some species of turtles and tortoises are almost completely vegetarian, some eat almost nothing but meat,…
False Coral Snake: Aniliidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Behavior And Reproduction - HABITAT, DIET, FALSE CORAL SNAKES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
This snake spends much of its time in burrows in loose soil. It lives in rainforests, especially in low-lying areas near streams or other waterways. The false coral snake is a nonpoisonous snake and usually stays underground during the daytime. (Illustration by Jonathan Higgins. Reproduced by permission.) False coral snakes eat long and narrow vertebrates (VER-teh-brehts), which are an…
Snapping Turtles: Chelydridae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Snapping Turtles And People, Snapping Turtle (chelydra Serpentina): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS
Snapping turtles live in North America, Central America, and South America, from southern Canada to Ecuador. These turtles mainly live in permanent water bodies, ones that are filled with water all year long. Some are able to survive in somewhat salty waters, but they typically prefer freshwater. Although they spend the majority of their time in the water, they will travel quite a distance ov…
Central American River Turtle: Dermatemydidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Central American River Turtles And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS
Central American river turtles live in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Although some of them may wander into somewhat salty water, Central American river turtles live mainly in freshwater, such as rivers and large lakes. The turtles live in the lowlands of southern Mexico near the Gulf of Mexico. They also live in Belize and northern Guatemala, and possibly in Honduras. Central American river …
Neotropical Sunbeam Snake: Loxocemidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, NEOTROPICAL SUNBEAM SNAKES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
This snake lives from southwestern Mexico through much of Central America, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northwestern Costa Rica. Neotropical sunbeam snakes live in warm climates and a variety of forested areas, but not in the mountains. They also sometimes make their home along the beaches of the coastline. They are secretive animals that hide among rocks and lea…
New World Pond Turtles: Emydidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Painted Turtle (chrysemys Picta): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, NEW WORLD POND TURTLES AND PEOPLE
Members of this family live in North and South America, Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. New World pond turtles may live in tropical areas, where it feels like summer all year, or in cooler areas that have all four seasons, including winter. These cooler areas are known as "temperate climates." Many turtles spend almost their entire lives in or near ponds, lakes, and o…
Eurasian Pond and River Turtles and Neotropical Wood Turtles: Geoemydidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Yellow-margined Box Turtle (cistoclemmys Flavomarginata): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DI
These turtles live in Eurasia, North Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. The members of this family live in the saltwater of the ocean's coastline, in inland freshwater areas, or on land in forests. They typically are found in the tropical areas of many countries, including China and the nations of the East Indies and Europe. They live from northern Mexico in North America t…
American Mud and Musk Turtles: Kinosternidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Stinkpot (sternotherus Odoratus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, AMERICAN MUD AND MUSK TURTLES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
Members of the American mud and musk turtle family live in North and South America. American mud and musk turtles are freshwater species. Most live in still or slow-moving waters and prefer lakes and ponds that are filled with water all year long. A few make their homes in shallow, seasonal ponds, which have water only a few months a year, usually during the spring season. American mud and mu…
Pythons: Pythonidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Black-headed Python (aspidites Melanocephalus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, PYTHONS AND PEOPLE
Pythons are found in southern Asia; southeastern China and Southeast Asia; the Philippines; Papua, New Guinea, and Indonesia; and Australia. They also live in the central and southern region of Africa, which is known as Sub-Saharan Africa. Depending on the species, pythons may live in thick forests, open forests, rainforests, rocky and scrubby areas high on hillsides, deserts, grasslands, swa…
African Side-Necked Turtles: Pelomedusidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Helmeted Turtle (pelomedusa Subrufa): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, AFRICAN SIDE-NECKED TURTLES AND PEOPLE
African side-necked turtles live in Africa, Madagascar, and the Seychelles Islands, which are northeast of Madagascar. These turtles often are seen in freshwater lakes and rivers that hold water all year long, but they also are found in temporary freshwater ponds, which lose their water during the dry season. Some side-necked turtles, including those that are called "mud turtles,…
Big-Headed Turtle: Platysternidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, BIG-HEADED TURTLES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
The big-headed turtle lives in China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The big-headed turtle is rare and has been found only in small mountain streams from southern China to Thailand and southern Myanmar. These turtles appear to be very particular about the type of stream, living only in rock-bottomed, cool waters and only in mountainous regions up to 6,600 feet (2,000 meters). Some peop…
Woodsnakes and Spinejaw Snakes: Tropidophiidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Southern Bromeliad Woodsnake (ungaliophis Panamensis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, SPINEJAW SNAKES WOODSNAKES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVA
SOUTHERN BROMELIAD WOODSNAKE (Ungaliophis panamensis): SPECIES ACCOUNT They are found from Brazil to Mexico and in the West Indies. Some species are found in both Malaysia and Borneo. Different members of this family may prefer dry and open, shrubby forests; rainforests; the rocky sides of hills, as well as cliffs; farm fields; and even caves. Usually, they try to find a spot within the habi…
File Snakes: Acrochordidae - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Little File Snake (acrochordus Granulatus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, FILE SNAKES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
The file snakes live from India to Southeast Asia and Australia. They inhabit northern Australia, the Solomon Islands east of New Guinea, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Some people collect file snakes as food and for their skin, which is used for leather. Since the snake reproduces only once every two years, or even less often, such collecting over the years could lead to dangerous drops in the num…
Alligators Crocodiles Caimans and Gharials: Crocodylia - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - CROCODILIANS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
Crocodilians, which are sometimes hunted for their meat or skin, are perhaps best known as human killers. Death by this reptile, however, is very rare among people who act carefully and responsibly when they are in crocodilian habitat. As people move closer and closer to their habitat, crocodilians may make their presence known by plopping into a swimming pool or eating a family pet. Accordin…