Sahil Gupta

Common name : Semi-box turtle Scientific name : Emys blandingii Family : Emydidae Native to : North America Interesting fact : The shell has a hinge in the front, so it can be shut tightly when predators attack. Conservation status : Endangered It’s quite unique with a yellow chin and throat. The smooth shell is

Common name : Texas newt Scientific name : Notophthalmus meridionalis Family : Salamandridae Native to : North-Eastern Mexico and Southern Texas Interesting fact : They expose their orange bellies when threatened to warn predators Conservation status : Endangered The newt is quite stylish with its smooth, silver or green body covered in black or yellow

Common name : Black-legged poison frog Scientific name : Phyllobates bicolor Family : Dendrobatidae Native to : Western Columbia Interesting fact : Highly toxic; only 15 micrograms of toxin is enough to kill a human. Conservation status : Near Threatened These are one of the few poison dart frogs that can secrete skin toxin on

Common name : Black-mouthed mamba, Southern brown mamba, Swart mamba Scientific name : Dendroaspis polylepis Family : Elapidae Native to : Sub-Saharan Africa Interesting fact : It is the second-longest venomous snake in the world measuring 2 to 3 metres. Conservation status : Least Concern One of the world’s deadliest and fastest snakes, it gets

Scientific name : Hyla avivoca Family : Hylidae Native to : United States Interesting fact : They make a sweet-sounding, high-pitched bird-like call and hence their name. Conservation status : Least Concern Its bird-like call can be heard during spring and summer. These small (5cm) frogs get down from trees only to breed. They come

Scientific name : Plethodon sherando Family : Plethodontidae Native to : United States Interesting fact : They are lungless and breathe through their moist skins. Conservation status : Vulnerable The moist and shiny-skinned salamanders can be found in rocky and forested areas under logs and other debris. They occur as striped and unstriped morphs. The

Scientific name : Platysternon megacephalum Family : Platysternidae Native to : South-East Asia and Southern China Interesting fact : The turtle can climb up trees using its beak and tail. Conservation status : Endangered Five sub-species have been identified. It has a large, triangular head which cannot be withdrawn into the shell. But the head’s

Common name : Mexican plateau slider Scientific name : Trachemys gaigeae Family : Emydidae Native to : South-Western United States and Northern Mexico Interesting fact : Young ones are carnivores and gradually become herbivores when they grow older. Conservation status : Vulnerable They are called sliders as they quickly slide into water from rocks or

Common name : Green tree python, Chondro Scientific name : Morelia viridis Family : Pythonidae Native to : Biak Island in New Guinea Interesting fact : They have a typical way of resting on trees with loops forming a saddle over the branch and the head in the middle. Conservation status : Least Concern Found

Common name : Barbour’s sawback Scientific name : Graptemys barbouri Family : Emydidae Native to : South-Eastern United States Interesting fact : Egg temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or less produces males and 30 degrees Celsius or more produces females. Conservation status : Vulnerable They are found near water bodies like rivers and are aggressive

Common name : Japalura tree dragon, Chinese tree dragon, Dragon agama, Neon tree dragon Scientific name : Japalura splendida Family : Agamidae Native to : South-Western China and South-East Tibet Interesting fact : They love to bathe often and hence pets require a bowl of water in the vivarium. Conservation status : Not Assessed Apt

Common name : Harlequin toads, Stubfoot toads, Clown frog Scientific name : Atelpus Limosus Family : Bufonidae Native to : American tropics Interesting fact : Its only predator is the Sarcophagid fly. The larvae are laid on the frog’s burrow inside and slowly kill by feeding on the frog. Conservation status : Endangered The genus