List of reptiles of California

This list of reptiles of California includes the snakes, turtles and lizards found in the US state of California.

  • [e] Endemic species.
  • [i] Introduced species.

Lizards

Family Anguidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Elgaria coerulia Northern alligator lizard North of Monterey Bay and in the Sierra Nevada
Elgaria multicarinata Southern alligator lizard Throughout the state, excluding the deserts and most of the Central Valley
Elgaria panamintina [e] Panamint alligator lizard Inyo and Mono Counties

Family Anniellidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Anniella alexanderae [e] Temblor legless lizard Between California State Highway 33 and southeast base of Temblor Range, Kern County
Anniella campi [e] Southern Sierra legless lizard Western Mojave Desert in Kern and Inyo Counties
Anniella grinnelli [e] Bakersfield legless lizard Southern San Joaquin Valley and the east side of the Carrizo Plain
Anniella pulchra [e] Northern California legless lizard Contra Costa County south to Ventura County
Anniella stebbinsi Southern California legless lizard Southern California south of the Transverse Ranges into northern Baja California

Family Chamaeleonidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Trioceros jacksonii [i] Jackson's chameleon San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, and San Diego Counties

Family Crotaphytidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Crotaphytus bicinctores Great Basin collared lizard East of the Sierra Nevada
Crotaphytus vestigium Baja California collared lizard East of Peninsular Ranges south of Mount San Jacinto
Gambelia copeii Cope's leopard lizard Barely extends into CA, around Campo, San Diego County.
Gambelia sila [e] Blunt-nosed leopard lizard San Joaquin Valley
Gambelia wislizenii Long-nosed leopard lizard Mojave and Sonoran Deserts

Family Dactyloidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Anolis carolinensis [i] Green anole Coastal Southern California
Anolis sagrei [i] Brown anole Small isolated populations in San Diego County

Family Eublepharidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Coleonyx switaki Switak's banded gecko Borrego Springs south to Baja California
Coleonyx variegatus Western banded gecko Most of inland Southern California

Family Gekkonidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Cyrtopodion scabrum [i] Rough-tailed gecko Inyo County near Death Valley
Hemidactylus garnotii [i] Indo-Pacific gecko Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties
Hemidactylus mabouia [i] Tropical house gecko Orange and San Diego Counties
Hemidactylus turcicus [i] Mediterranean house gecko Southern California and San Joaquin Valley, scattered throughout the rest of the state
Tarentola annularis [i] Ringed wall gecko Redlands, San Bernardino County
Tarentola mauritanica [i] Moorish gecko San Diego County

Family Helodermatidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Heloderma suspectum Gila monster Scattered populations in Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial Counties

Family Iguanidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Dipsosaurus dorsalis Desert iguana Mojave and Sonoran Deserts
Sauromalus ater Common chuckwalla Mojave and Sonoran Deserts excluding Algodones Dunes

Family Lacertidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Acanthodactylus boskianus [i] Bosc's fringe-toed lizard Coastal Ventura County
Podarcis siculus [i] Italian wall lizard San Pedro, Los Angeles County

Family Phrynosomatidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Callisaurus draconoides Zebra-tailed lizard Mojave and Sonoran Deserts
Petrosaurus mearnsi Banded rock lizard East of Peninsular Ranges south of San Gorgonio Pass
Phrynosoma blainvilli Coast horned lizard West of Sierra Nevada and deserts, north to the Bay Area, and inland as far north as Shasta Reservoir
Phrynosoma douglasii Pygmy short-horned lizard Far northeast near Oregon
Phrynosoma mcallii Flat-tail horned lizard Most of Colorado Desert, excluding Algodones Dunes
Phrynosoma platyrhinos Desert horned lizard Sonoran and Mojave Deserts and far northeast in Great Basin Desert
Sceloporus becki [e] Island fence lizard Channel Islands
Sceloporus graciosus Common sagebrush lizard Mountains surrounding Central Valley north to Oregon and east to Nevada
Sceloporus magister Desert spiny lizard Sonoran Desert
Sceloporus occidentalis Western fence lizard Throughout California excluding most of Sonoran and Mojave Deserts
Sceloporus orcutti Granite spiny lizard Lower slopes of Peninsular Ranges south of San Gorgonio Pass
Sceloporus uniformis Yellow-backed spiny lizard Mojave Desert with scattered populations in Coast Ranges.
Sceloporus vandenburgianus Southern sagebrush lizard Transverse and Peninsular Ranges
Uma inornata [e] Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard Coachella Valley
Uma notata Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard Colorado Desert
Uma scoparia Mojave fringe-toed lizard Mojave Desert between Death Valley and Colorado River
Urosaurus graciosus Long-tailed brush lizard Sonoran and Mojave Deserts
Urosaurus microscutatus Small-scaled lizard East side of Peninsular Ranges south of Borrego Palm Canyon, Marron Valley, Cottonwood, and Deerhorn Flat areas on the west side.
Urosaurus ornatus Ornate tree lizard Native along Colorado River, introduced in San Bernardino County and El Centro
Uta stansburiana Common side-blotched lizard Southern California north to Bay Area, excluding the Central Valley and including Great Basin Desert near Nevada

Family Phyllodactylidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Phyllodactylus nocticolus Peninsular leaf-toed gecko East of Peninsular Ranges, south of Palm Springs

Family Scincidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Chalcides ocellatus [i] Ocelated skink Small populations in San Bernardino and San Diego Counties
Plestiodon gilberti Gilbert's skink Sierra Nevada, Coast, Transverse, and Peninsular Ranges, with populations in Mojave Desert
Plestiodon skiltonianus Western skink Coastal and Northern California, with populations in Sierra Nevada and Great Basin Desert
Trachylepis Quinquetaeniata [i] African five-lined skink Glendora, Los Angeles County

Family Teiidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Aspidoscelis hyperythrus Orange-throated whiptail Coastal Southern California west of Peninsular Ranges
Aspidoscelis tigris Tiger whiptail Desert regions, Central Valley, Coast, Transverse, and Peninsular Ranges
Aspidoscelis sonorae [i] Sonoran spotted whiptail Orange and northern San Diego Counties

Family Xantusiidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Xantusia gracilis [e] Sandstone night lizard Anza-Borrego State Park
Xantusia henshawi Granite night lizard Peninsular Ranges south of San Gorgonio Pass
Xantusia riversiana [e] Island night lizard Santa Barbara Island, Sutil Islet, San Clemente Island, and San Nicolas Island
Xantusia sierrae [e] Sierra night lizard Southwestern foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains along the western edge of the Greenhorn mountains in Kern County
Xantusia vigilis Desert night lizard Throughout the Mojave Desert, Transverse and Coast Ranges, and southern Sierra Nevada, Santa Catalina Island population may be introduced
Xantusia wigginsi Baja California night lizard Scissor's Crossing, San Diego County and east of Jacumba

Snakes

Family Boidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photos
Charina bottae Northern rubber boa Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges north of Monterey County, north of Central Valley
Charina umbratica [e] Southern rubber boa Disjunct areas in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains
Lichanura orcutti Coastal rosy boa San Diego County north and east into Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, excluding Imperial Valley

Family Colubridae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Arizona elegans Glossy snake Southern California, north up the Coast Ranges to Bay Area.
Bogertophis rosaliae Baja California rat snake May exist near Mexico border in Imperial County
Chionactis occipitalis Western shovelnose snake Mojave Desert
Coluber constrictor North American Racer Throughout California excluding San Joaquin Valley and desert regions
Contia longicaudae Forest sharp-tailed snake Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Trinity Counties, hugging the coast.
Contia tenuis Sharp-tailed snake Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges north of Tulare County
Diadophis punctatus Ringneck snake Mountainous regions and near Nevada
Hypsiglena chlorophaea Desert nightsnake Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin Deserts
Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus Coast night snake Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, coastal Southern California
Lampropeltis californiae California kingsnake Entire state excluding extreme NW coast, NE Great Basin Desert, and high elevations
Lampropeltis multifasciata Coast mountain kingsnake Coast, Transverse, and Peninsular Ranges from Monterey County south
Lampropeltis zonata California mountain kingsnake Coast Ranges north of Monterey County, and Sierra Nevada
Masticophis flagellum Coachwhip Southern California, San Joaquin Valley, inner Coast Ranges north to Bay Area
Masticophis fuliginosus Baja California coachwhip San Diego County near Mexico
Masticophis lateralis California striped whipsnake Mountainous regions in ring around Central Valley south to Mexico
Masticophis taeniatus Striped whipsnake Great Basin Desert
Nerodia fasciata [i] Banded water snake Colorado River, Lake Natoma, and Lake Machado
Neroida sipedon [i] Common water snake Roseville, Placer County
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus Western leaf-nosed snake Sonoran and Mojave Deserts
Pituophis catenifer Gopher snake All of California excluding high Sierras
Rhinocheilus lecontei Long-nosed snake Inner Coast Ranges, Mojave, Sonoran and Great Basin Deserts, and the Sierra Nevada foothills
Salvadora hexalepis Western patch-nosed snake Southern California and Great Basin Desert
Sonora annulata Colorado Desert shovelnose snake Sonoran (Colorado) Desert
Sonora semiannulata Western ground snake Eastern Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin Deserts
Tantilla hobartsmithi Southwestern blackhead snake Southern Sierra foothills and Mojave Desert
Tantilla planiceps Western black-headed snake Inner Coast Ranges south from Bay Area, Transverse and Peninsular Ranges
Thamnophis atratus Aquatic garter snake Coast Ranges north from Santa Barbara County to Oregon
Thamnophis couchii Sierra garter snake Sierra Nevada
Thamnophis elegans Terrestrial garter snake Northern California, Sierra Nevada, and Coast Ranges south to Santa Barbara County. Isolated population in San Bernardino Mountains
Thamnophis gigas Giant garter snake Central Valley
Thamnophis hammondii Two-striped garter snake Coastal California south of Monterey Bay
Thamnophis marcianus Checkered garter snake Colorado River and Imperial Valley as north as Mecca
Thamnophis ordinoides Northwestern garter snake Extreme northwest corner of state
Thamnophis sirtalis Common garter snake Most of state excluding desert regions, San Joaquin Valley and high Sierras
Trimorphodon lambda Sonoran lyre snake Near Colorado River
Trimorphodon lyrophanes California lyresnake Southern California, southeast of a line between Inyo and Santa Barbara Counties, but absent from large parts of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts.

Family Hydrophiinae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Hydrophis platurus Yellow-bellied sea snake Occasionally beaches in Southern California

Family Leptotyphlopidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Rena humilis Western threadsnake Southern California north to southern Great Basin Desert

Family Typhlopidae

Species Common name Occurrence Photo
Indotyphlops braminus [i] Brahminy blind snake Southern California

Family Viperidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Crotalus atrox Western diamondback rattlesnake Sonoran Desert
Crotalus cerastes Sidewinder Mojave and Sonoran Deserts
Crotalus helleri Southern Pacific rattlesnake Transverse and Peninsular Ranges north to Santa Barbara County
Crotalus lutosus Great Basin rattlesnake Great Basin Desert
Crotalus oreganus Northern Pacific rattlesnake North of Santa Barbara County, excluding deserts
Crotalus ruber Red diamond rattlesnake South of San Bernardino County, west of desert region.
Crotalus pyrrhus Southwestern speckled rattlesnake Peninsular Ranges, Sonoran and southern Mojave Deserts, excluding Imperial Valley
Crotalus scutulatus Mojave rattlesnake Mojave Desert
Crotalus stephensi Panamint rattlesnake Northern Mojave Desert

Turtles

Family Cheloniidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Caretta caretta Loggerhead sea turtle Southern California waters, does not nest
Chelonia mydas Green sea turtle California waters, does not nest
Eretmochelys imbricata Hawksbill sea turtle Southern California waters, does not nest
Lepidochelys olivacea Olive ridley sea turtle Southern California waters, does not nest

Family Chelydridae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Chelydra serpentina [i] Common snapping turtle Populations scattered throughout the state

Family Dermochelyidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Dermochelys coriacea Leatherback sea turtle California waters, does not nest

Family Emydidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Chrysemys picta [i] Western painted turtle Mostly Bay Area and coastal Southern California
Actinemys marmorata Northwestern pond turtle Central Valley north to Oregon
Actinemys pallida Southwestern pond turtle Peninsular, Transverse, and Coast Ranges north to Bay Area
Trachemys scripta [i] Red-eared slider Populations scattered throughout the state

Family Kinosternidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Kinosternon sonoriense Sonoran mud turtle Along Colorado River, probably extirpated

Family Testudinidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Gopherus agassizii Mojave desert tortoise Mojave and eastern Sonoran Desert

Family Trionychidae

Species Common name Occurrences Photo
Apalone ferox [i] Florida softshell Bay Area and Los Angeles Basin
Apalone spinifera [i] Spiny softshell Colorado River and in scattered populations across the state

References

  • "California Reptiles and Amphibians".
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