221 Amphibians and Reptiles Encyclopedia

Scientific name : Epicrates maurus Family : Boidae Native to : Columbia and northern parts of South America Interesting fact : They have heat-sensing pits on their heads to detect their warm-blooded prey. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The scales of these snakes reflect light to show rainbow colours. They are not poisonous but squeeze […]

Common name : Banded sea krait Scientific name : Laticauda colubrina Family : Elapidae Native to : Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : They have glands under the tongues that discard excess salt from the bodies. Conservation status : Least Concern With scales to move on land and lungs to breathe,

Common name : Sonoran desert toad Scientific name : Incilius alvarius Family : Bufonidae Native to : Sonoran desert of California and Arizona Interesting fact : The white wart at the corner of the mouth and those on the legs produce toxins that can paralyze predators. Conservation status : Least Concern The largest native toad

Scientific name : Uma inornata Family : Phrynosomatidae Native to : California Interesting fact : Their nostrils help them breathe under sand without inhaling any sand particles. Conservation status : Endangered With unique features like serrated eyelids, long scales near the ears to avoid sand, specialized nostrils and toes fringed with scales for swimming in

Common name : China alligator, Yangtze alligator Scientific name : Alligator sinensis Family : Alligatoridae Native to : China Interesting fact : Once the eggs hatch, the mother carries the baby alligators to the water and that marks the end of parenting. The babies are on their own after that. Conservation status : Critically Endangered

Common name : Northern Darwin’s frog Scientific name : Rhinoderma rufum Family : Rhinodermatidae Native to : Central Chile Interesting fact : These tadpoles develop in the vocal sac of the females and this type of parental care is called ‘mouth brooding’. Conservation status : Critically Endangered A fleshy tube-like projection on its snout distinguishes

Scientific name : Plethodon cheoah Family : Plethodontidae Native to : United States Conservation status : Vulnerable Hiding under leaf litter, logs and mossy rocks of Cheoah Bald, Graham and Swain counties of North Carolina are these shiny grey salamanders with red-orange blotches at the base of their legs and arms. Unsuspecting predators suffer the

Scientific name : Chamaeleonidae Family : Chamaeleonidae Native to : Africa, Asia and parts of Southern Europe Interesting fact : The tiniest pygmy chameleons are only 3 cm long. Conservation status : Many species of chameleons are considered threatened or endangered The chameleon has so much going on–from changing its body colour to shooting its

Common name : Argentine black-and-white tegu Scientific name : Salvator merianae/Tupinambis merianae Family : Teiidae Native to : South America Interesting fact : They crave for human affection just like a dog or cat and are smart too obeying commands. Conservation status : Least Concern Largest of the tegus, these docile lizards can become your

Common name : Asian giant softshell turtle, Frog-faced softshell turtle Scientific name : Pelochelys cantorii Family : Trionychidae Native to : South-East Asia Interesting fact : They stay buried under sand with only their snouts out and come out only twice a day to breathe. Conservation status : Endangered This rare species is also very

Common name : Marine toad, giant neotropical toad Scientific name : Rhinella marina Family : Bufonidae Native to : Central and South America Interesting fact : They were introduced in the Pacific and Carribean islands to eradicate the sugarcane pest, cane beetle, but they ended up becoming a pest species themselves! Conservation status : Least

Common name : Eastern corn snake, Corn snake, Chicken snake, Red rat snake Scientific name : Pantherophis guttatus Family : Colubridae Native to : Eastern and South-Eastern United States Interesting fact : Corn snakes feed on mice and rats that feed on harvested corn in grain stores and hence their name. Conservation status : Least

Common name : Lance-nosed chameleon, Blade chameleon Scientific name : Calumma gallus Family : Chamaeleonidae Native to : Eastern Madagascar Conservation status : Endangered One of the tiniest of chameleons, it is also the prettiest with the male having a pink-tipped, blue-spotted blade-like snout. The base of the snout is green and runs as a

Scientific name : Ambystoma californiense Family : Ambystomatidae Native to : Central California Interesting fact : They are known to live for over 30 years. Conservation status : Vulnerable This rare amphibian is shiny black with yellow or white spots and pink-tipped toes. They are quite large with broad heads and blunt snouts. They live

Common name : Green map turtle Scientific name : Graptemys caglei Family : Emydidae Native to : United States Interesting fact : They are the smallest of map turtles with the larger females measuring only 7 inches. Conservation status : Endangered Fine map-like swirling lines mark its shell and skin. Spines run down the centre