Reptiles
Reptiles Overview
Reptiles, as most commonly defined, are the animals in the class Reptilia, a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsid amniotes except Aves (birds).
Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes), and rhynchocephalians (tuatara). As of March 2022, the Reptile Database lists the class including approximately 11,700 species.
Below we have the reptiles of the Southwest in several formats so keep scrolling until you see what you are looking for.
For a breakdown of snakes in the area of the southwest and the southwest states, use these resources:
Diversity of Reptiles
Below is a list showing the Species diversity of living reptiles as of 2013.
- Crocodilia (aquatic reptiles) = 25 (0.3% of reptile species)
- Squamates = 9,193 (96.3% of reptile species)
- Amphisbaenians – 181 (2%)
- Lizards – 5,634 (59%)
- Snakes – 3,378 (35%)
- Rhynchocephalia (lizard-like reptiles) = 1 (0.01% of reptile species)
- Testudines (Turtles) = 327 (3.4% of reptile species)
- TOTAL = 9,546 described species
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Clade: Sauropsida
- Class: Reptilia
Classification of Reptiles Overview
In our research to share the wildlife of the Southwest, one of the hardest for me personally has been working with the classification of reptiles as some of these “subspecies” can be incredibly confusing.
Some reptiles have more than one common name and we have listed them all in parentheses.
To help me understand, I decided to make a visual tree to see how each genus and species are related. This is for sure a work in progress as we work through each reptile that is found in each state in the Southwestern part of the United States.
Order of Reptiles
The modern-day class of reptiles, reptilia, is normally divided into four different orders (Crocodilia, Rhynchocephalia, Squamata, and Testudines), with each having its own distinct characteristics and morphologies.
Crocodilia (Order)
This ancient order, which includes all modern alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gharials, is mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as crocodilians and are the closest living relative of birds, and the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria.
The order Crocodilia includes the true crocodiles (family Crocodylidae), the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae), and the gharial and false gharial (family Gavialidae).
Although the term ‘crocodiles’ is sometimes used to refer to all of these, crocodilians is a less ambiguous vernacular term for members of this group.
Rhynchocephalia (Order)
Once incredibly diverse, it has been reduced to only a single living genus is an order of lizard-like reptiles that includes only one living species, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) of New Zealand.
Their closest living relatives are lizards and snakes in the order Squamata, with the two orders being grouped together in the superorder Lepidosauria.
Squamata (Order)
Latin squamatus (“scaly, having scales”) is the largest (over 10,900 species) and youngest order of reptiles, comprising lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians (worm lizards), which are collectively known as squamates or scaled reptiles. Many of the smallest reptiles in the world are classified as Squamata members.
Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scales or shields. They also possess movable quadrate bones, making the possible movement of the upper jaw relative to the neurocranium. This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very wide to accommodate comparatively large prey.
Among other reptiles, squamates are most closely related to the tuatara, the last surviving member of the once diverse Rhynchocephalia, with both groups being placed in the clade Lepidosauria.
Testudines (Order)
The order of Testudines is comprised of all known turtle species and is characterized by a shell developed mainly from their ribs.
There are 360 living and recently extinct species of turtles, including land-dwelling tortoises and freshwater terrapins.
They are found on most continents, some islands, and, in the case of sea turtles, much of the ocean.
Like other reptiles, birds, and mammals, they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water.
Genetic evidence typically places them in close relation to crocodilians and birds.

Snakes of the Southwest
Again, while the taxonomy tree helps me, it can be an eyesore to look at so we also have the names of the reptiles found in the southwest in a list form and below are the venomous and non-venomous snakes found in the Southwest.
You can view and sort the columns. The V/NV column is for whether or not the snake is venomous vs non-venomous.
Did we miss one? If so, let us know (it is a work in progress!).
Common Name | Family | Genus | Species | V NV | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Alligator Lizard | Anguidae | Elgaria | coerulea | CA | NV | ||||
Madrean Alligator Lizard | Anguidae | Elgaria | kingii | AZ | NM | ||||
Southern Alligator Lizard | Anguidae | Elgaria | multicarinata | CA | |||||
Panamint Alligator Lizard | Anguidae | Elgaria | panamintina | CA | |||||
Temblor Legless Lizard | Anniellidae | Anniella | alexanderae | CA | |||||
Big Spring Legless Lizard | Anniellidae | Anniella | campi | CA | |||||
Bakersfield Legless Lizard | Anniellidae | Anniella | grinnelli | CA | |||||
Northern Legless Lizard | Anniellidae | Anniella | pulchra | CA | |||||
San Diegan Legless Lizard | Anniellidae | Anniella | stebbinsi | CA | |||||
Northern Rubber Boa | Boidae | Charina | bottae | CA | NV | UT | |||
Southern Rubber Boa | Boidae | Charina | umbratica | CA | |||||
Rosy Boa | Boidae | Lichanura | orcutti | AZ | CA | NV | |||
Three-lined Boa | Boidae | Lichanura | trivirgata | AZ | CA | ||||
Jackson's Chameleon | Chamaeleonidae | Chamaeleo | jacksonii | CA | |||||
Glossy Snake | Colubridae | Arizona | elegans | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Desert Glossy Snake | Colubridae | Arizona | elegans eburnata | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Baja California Ratsnake | Colubridae | Bogertophis | rosaliae | CA | |||||
Variable Sandsnake | Colubridae | Chilomeniscus | stramineus | AZ | |||||
Resplendent Desert Shovel-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Chionactis | annulata | AZ | CA | ||||
Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Chionactis | occipitalis | AZ | CA | NV | |||
Sonoran Shovel-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Chionactis | palarostris | AZ | |||||
Sonoran Whipsnake | Colubridae | Coluber | bilineatus | AZ | NM | ||||
North American Racer | Colubridae | Coluber | constrictor | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Coachwhip | Colubridae | Coluber | flagellum | CA | NM | NV | UT | ||
Baja California Coachwhip | Colubridae | Coluber | fuliginosus | CA | |||||
Striped Racer | Colubridae | Coluber | lateralis | CA | |||||
Striped Whipsnake | Colubridae | Coluber | taeniatus | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Forest Sharp-tailed Snake | Colubridae | Contia | longicauda | CA | |||||
Common Sharp-tailed Snake | Colubridae | Contia | tenuis | CA | |||||
Desert Iguana | Colubridae | Diadophus | dorsalis | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Ring-necked Snake | Colubridae | Diadophus | punctatus | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Chihuahuan Hook-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Gyalopion | canum | AZ | NM | ||||
Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Gyalopion | quadrangulare | AZ | |||||
Mexican Hog-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Heterodon | kennerlyi | AZ | NM | ||||
Western Hog-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Heterodon | nasicus | ||||||
Desert Nightsnake | Colubridae | Hypsiglena | chlorophaea | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Chihuahuan Nightsnake | Colubridae | Hypsiglena | jani | AZ | NM | ||||
Coast Nightsnake | Colubridae | Hypsiglena | ochrorhyncha | CA | |||||
California Kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | californiae | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Western Milksnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | gentilis | AZ | NM | NV | UT | ||
Madrean Mountain Kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | knoblochi | AZ | NM | ||||
Western Black Kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | nigrita | AZ | |||||
Arizona Mountain Kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | pyromelana | AZ | NM | NV | UT | ||
Desert Kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | splendida | AZ | NM | ||||
California Mountain Kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | zonata | CA | |||||
Southern Watersnake | Colubridae | Nerodia | fasciata | AZ | CA | ||||
Diamond-backed Watersnake | Colubridae | Nerodia | rhombifer | CA | |||||
Smooth Greensnake | Colubridae | Opheodrys | vernalis | NM | |||||
Brown Vinesnake | Colubridae | Oxybelis | aeneus | AZ | |||||
Great Plains Ratsnake | Colubridae | Pantherophis | emoryi | NM | UT | ||||
Gophersnake | Colubridae | Pituophis | catenifer | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Long-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Rhinocheilus | lecontei | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Eastern Patch-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Salvadora | grahamiae | AZ | |||||
Western Patch-nosed Snake | Colubridae | Salvadora | hexalepis | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Green Ratsnake | Colubridae | Senticolis | triaspis | AZ | NM | ||||
Western Groundsnake | Colubridae | Sonora | semiannulata | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Smith's Black-headed Snake | Colubridae | Tantilla | hobartsmithi | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Plains Black-headed Snake | Colubridae | Tantilla | nigriceps | AZ | NM | ||||
Western Black-headed Snake | Colubridae | Tantilla | planiceps | CA | |||||
Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake | Colubridae | Tantilla | wilcoxi | AZ | |||||
Yaqui Black-headed Snake | Colubridae | Tantilla | yaquia | AZ | NM | ||||
Aquatic Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | atratus | CA | |||||
Sierra Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | couchii | CA | NV | ||||
Black-necked Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | cyrtopsis | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Terrestrial Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | elegans | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Mexican Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | eques | AZ | NM | NV | |||
Giant Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | gigas | CA | |||||
Two-striped Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | hammondii | CA | |||||
Checkered Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | marcianus | AZ | CA | NM | |||
Northwestern Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | ordinoides | CA | |||||
Narrow-headed Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | rufipunctatus | AZ | NM | ||||
Common Gartersnake | Colubridae | Thamnophis | sirtalis | CA | NM | NV | UT | ||
Sonoran Lyresnake | Colubridae | Trimorphodon | lambda | V | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT |
California Lyresnake | Colubridae | Trimorphodon | lyrophanes | V | CA | ||||
Great Basin Collared Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Crotaphytus | bicinctores | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Eastern Collared Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Crotaphytus | collaris | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Sonoran Collared Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Crotaphytus | nebrius | AZ | |||||
Rough-tailed Gecko | Crotaphytidae | Crotaphytus | scabrum | AZ | |||||
Baja California Collared Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Crotaphytus | vestigium | CA | |||||
Cope's Leopard Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Gambelia | copeii | CA | |||||
Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Gambelia | sila | CA | |||||
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard | Crotaphytidae | Gambelia | wislizenii | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Yellow-bellied Seasnake | Elapidae | Hydrophis | platurus | CA | |||||
Sonoran Coralsnake | Elapidae | Micruroides | euryxanthus | AZ | NM | ||||
Switak's Banded Gecko | Eublepharidae | Coleonyx | switaki | CA | |||||
Western Banded Gecko | Eublepharidae | Coleonyx | variegatus | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Stump-toed Gecko | Gekkonidae | Gehyra | mutilata | CA | |||||
Mediterranean Gecko | Gekkonidae | Hemidactylus | turcicus | AZ | CA | NM | NV | ||
Gila Monster | Helodermatidae | Heloderma | suspectum | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Common Chuckwalla | Iguanidae | Sauromalus | ater | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
New Mexico Threadsnake | Leptotyphlopidae | Rena | dissecta | AZ | NM | ||||
Western Threadsnake | Leptotyphlopidae | Rena | humilis | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Zebra-tailed Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Callisaurus | draconoides | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Greater Earless Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Cophosaurus | texanus | AZ | NM | ||||
Elegant Earless Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Holbrookia | elegans | AZ | |||||
Lesser Earless Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Holbrookia | maculata | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Banded Rock Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Petrosaurus | mearnsi | CA | |||||
Blainville's Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | blainvillii | CA | |||||
Texas Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | cornutum | AZ | NM | ||||
Pygmy Short-horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | douglasii | CA | NV | ||||
Goode's Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | goodei | AZ | |||||
Greater Short-horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | hernandesi | AZ | NM | NV | UT | ||
Flat-tailed Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | mcallii | AZ | CA | ||||
Round-tailed Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | modestum | AZ | NM | ||||
Desert Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | platyrhinos | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Regal Horned Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Phrynosoma | solare | AZ | NM | ||||
Twin-spotted Spiny Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | bimaculosus | AZ | NM | ||||
Clark's Spiny Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | clarkii | AZ | NM | ||||
Southwestern Fence Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | cowlesi | AZ | NM | ||||
Common Sagebrush Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | graciosus | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Yarrow's Spiny Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | jarrovii | AZ | NM | ||||
Desert Spiny Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | magister | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Western Fence Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | occidentalis | CA | NV | UT | |||
Granite Spiny Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | orcutti | CA | |||||
Slevin's Bunchgrass Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | slevini | AZ | NM | ||||
Plateau Fence Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | tristichus | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | uniformis | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Striped Plateau Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Sceloporus | virgatus | AZ | NM | ||||
Coachella Fringe-toed Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Uma | inornata | CA | |||||
Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Uma | notata | CA | |||||
Yuman Desert Fringe-toed Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Uma | rufopunctata | AZ | |||||
Mohave Fringe-toed Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Uma | scoparia | AZ | CA | ||||
a fringe-toed lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Uma | thurmanae | AZ | |||||
Long-tailed Brush Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Urosaurus | graciosus | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Small-scaled Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Urosaurus | microscutatus | CA | |||||
Ornate Tree Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Urosaurus | ornatus | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Common Side-blotched Lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Uta | stansburiana | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Leaf-toed Gecko | Phyllodactylidae | Phyllodactylus | nocticolus | CA | |||||
Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake | Phyllodactylidae | Phyllorhynchus | browni | AZ | |||||
Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake | Phyllodactylidae | Phyllorhynchus | decurtatus | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Moorish Wall Gecko | Phyllodactylidae | Tarentola | mauritanica | CA | |||||
Ocellated Skink | Scincidae | Chalcides | ocellatus | AZ | |||||
Mountain Skink | Scincidae | Plestiodon | callicephalus | AZ | NM | ||||
Gilbert's Skink | Scincidae | Plestiodon | gilberti | AZ | CA | NV | |||
Many-lined Skink | Scincidae | Plestiodon | multivirgatus | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Great Plains Skink | Scincidae | Plestiodon | obsoletus | AZ | NM | ||||
Western Skink | Scincidae | Plestiodon | skiltonianus | AZ | CA | NV | |||
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | exsanguis | AZ | NM | ||||
Orange-throated Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | hyperythra | CA | |||||
New Mexico Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | neomexicana | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Sonoran Spotted Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | sonorae | AZ | NM | ||||
Giant Spotted Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | stictogramma | AZ | NM | ||||
Tiger Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | tigris | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT | |
Desert Grassland Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | uniparens | AZ | NM | ||||
Plateau Striped Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | velox | AZ | NM | UT | |||
Red-backed Whiptail | Teiidae | Aspidoscelis | xanthonota | AZ | |||||
Brahminy Blindsnake | Typhlopidae | Indotyphlops | braminus | AZ | |||||
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | atrox | V | AZ | CA | NM | NV | |
Sidewinder | Viperidae | Crotalus | cerastes | V | AZ | CA | NV | UT | |
Mojave Desert Sidewinder | Viperidae | Crotalus | cerastes cerastes | V | |||||
Sonoran Desert Sidewinder | Viperidae | Crotalus | cerastes cercobombus | V | |||||
Colorado Desert Sidewinder | Viperidae | Crotalus | cerastes laterorepens | V | |||||
Arizona Black Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | cerberus | V | AZ | NM | |||
Midget Faded Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | concur | ||||||
Rock Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | lepidus | V | AZ | NM | |||
Banded Rock Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | lepidus klauberi | ||||||
Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | molossus | V | AZ | NM | |||
Western Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | oreganus | V | AZ | CA | NV | UT | |
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | pricei | V | AZ | ||||
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | pyrrhus | V | AZ | CA | NV | UT | |
Red Diamond Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | ruber | V | CA | ||||
Mohave Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | scutulatus | V | AZ | CA | NM | NV | UT |
Panamint Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | stephensi | V | CA | NV | |||
Tiger Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | tigris | V | AZ | ||||
Prairie Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | viridis | V | AZ | NM | UT | ||
Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus | willardi | V | AZ | NM | |||
Western Massasauga | Viperidae | Sistrurus | tergeminus | AZ | NM | ||||
Arizona Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | arizonae | AZ | |||||
Bezy's Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | bezyi | AZ | |||||
Sandstone Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | gracilis | CA | |||||
Granite Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | henshawi | CA | |||||
Island Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | riversiana | CA | |||||
Sierra Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | sierrae | CA | |||||
Desert Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | vigilis | AZ | CA | NV | UT | ||
Wiggins' Night Lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia | wigginsi | CA | |||||
Western Pond Turtle | Actinemys | marmorata | |||||||
Spiny Softshell | Apalone | spinifera | |||||||
Painted Turtle | Chrysemys | picta | |||||||
Mojave Desert Tortoise | Gopherus | agassizii | |||||||
Sonoran Mud Turtle | Kinosternon | sonoriense | |||||||
Common Box Turtle | Terrapene | carolina |

Taxonomy Tree to Classify Reptiles
Below are the family, genus, and species belonging to the Order Squamata.
We placed it in a “tree format” for you to see how each is related.
- Family: Boidae [Boas]
- Genus: Lichanura (Rosy Boa)
- Species: orcutti (Coastal Rosy Boa or Northern Three-Lined Boa)
- Species: trivirgata (Desert Rosy Boa)
- Genus: Lichanura (Rosy Boa)
- Family: Colubridae
- Genus: Arizona (Glossy Snake)
- Species: elegans (Glossy Snake)
- Subspecies: eburnata (Desert Glossy Snake)
- Species: elegans (Glossy Snake)
- Genus: Heterodon (hognose snake, sand viper, hog-nosed snake, North American hog-nosed snake, and sometimes puff adder)
- Species: nasicus (Western Hognose Snake)
- Genus: Hypsiglena (Night Snake)
- Species: jani (Texas Night Snake aka Chihuahuan Night Snake)
- Species: ochrorhynchus (Spotted Night Snake)
- Subspecies: nuchalata (California Night Snake)
- Species: torquata (Night Snake)
- Genus: Lampropeltis (Kingsnake)
- Species: californiae (California Kingsnake)
- Species: getula (Eastern Kingsnake, Common Kingsnake, and Chain Kingsnake)
- Species: pyromelana (Arizona Mountain Kingsnake aka Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake)
- Species: splendida (Desert Kingsnake)
- Species: triangulum (Milksnake)
- Genus: Masticophis (Whipsnake)
- Species: flagellum (Coachwhip aka Whipsnake)
- Species: lateralis (California Whipsnake)
- Subspecies: euryxanthus (Alameda Whipsnake aka Alameda Racer)
- Species: taeniatus (Striped Whipsnake)
- Subspecies: teniatus (Desert Striped Whipsnake)
- Genus: Oxybelis (Vine Snake)
- Species: aenus (Mexican Vine Snake or brown vine snake)
- Genus: Phyllorhyncus (Leafnose Snake)
- Species: browni (Saddled Leafnose Snake)
- Species: decurtatus (Spotted Leafnose Snake)
- Genus: Pituophis (gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes)
- Species: catenifer (Gopher Snake)
- Subspecies: affinis (Sonoran Gopher Snake)
- Species: catenifer (Gopher Snake)
- Genus: Rhinocheilus (Long-nose Snake)
- Species: lecontei (Arizona Long-nosed Snake)
- Genus: Salvadora (Patch-nosed Snake)
- Species: hexalepis (Western Patch-nosed Snake)
- Genus: Sonora (Ground Snake)
- Species: semiannulata (Western Ground Snake)
- Genus: Tantilla (centipede snakes, blackhead snakes, and flathead snakes)
- Species: hobartsmithi (Southwestern Blackhead Snake, Smith’s blackhead snake, or Smith’s black-headed snake)
- Genus: Thamnophis (Garter Snake)
- Species: couchii (Sierra Garter Snake)
- Species: cyrtopsis (Blackneck Garter Snake)
- Species: elegans (Wandering Garter Snake)
- Species: eques (Mexican Garter Snake)
- Species: marcianus (Checkered Garter Snake)
- Species: sirtalis (Common Garter Snake)
- Subspecies: infernalis (California Red-Sided Garter Snake)
- Genus: Trimorphodon (Lyre Snake)
- Genus: Arizona (Glossy Snake)
- Family: Elapidae
- Genus: Micruroides (Coral Snake)
- Species: euryxanthus (Sonoran Coral Snake, Western Coral Snake, Arizona Coral Snake)
- Genus: Micruroides (Coral Snake)
- Family: Helodermatidae (beaded lizard)
- Genus: Heloderma (toxicoferan lizards)
- Species: suspectus (Gila Monster)
- Genus: Heloderma (toxicoferan lizards)
- Family: Iguanidae
- Genus: Aspidoscelis
- Species: tigris: Western Whiptail
- Subspecies: tigris tigris: Great Basin Whiptail Lizard
- Species: tigris: Western Whiptail
- Genus: Callisaurus
- Species: draconoides: Zebra-tailed Lizard
- Genus: Coleonyx
- Species: variegatus: Western Banded Gecko
- Genus: Crotaphytus
- Species: bicinctores: Desert Collared Lizard
- Genus: Dipsosaurus
- Species: dorsalis: Desert Iguana
- Genus: Gamelia
- Species: wislizenii: Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
- Genus: Heloderma
- Species: Heloderma suspectum Gila Monster
- Genus: Hemidactylus
- Species: turcicus: Mediterranean House Gecko
- Genus: Phrynosoma
- Species: platyrhinos: Desert Horned Lizard
- Genus: Sauromalus (Chuckwalla)
- Species: ater: Common Chuckwalla
- Genus: Aspidoscelis
- Family: Phrynosomatidae
- Genus: Sceloporus
- Species: graciosus: Common Sagebrush Lizard
- Species: occidentalis: Western Fence Lizard
- Species: uniformis: Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
- Genus: Phrynosoma
- Species: douglasii: Pygmy Short-horned Lizard
- Species: hernandesi: Greater Short-horned Lizard
- Genus: Urosaurus
- Species: graciosus: Long-tailed Brush Lizard
- Species: ornatus: Ornate Tree Lizard
- Genus: Uma
- Species: scoparia: Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard
- Genus: Uta
- Species: stansburiana – Common Side-blotched Lizard
- Genus: Sceloporus
- Family: Scincidae [Skinks]
- Genus: Plestiodon
- Species: gilberti – Gilbert’s Skink
- Species: skiltonianus – Western Skink
- Genus: Plestiodon
- Family: Viperidae
- Genus: Crotalus [Rattlesnake]
- Species: atrox – Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
- Species: cerastes (Sidewinder, Horned Rattlesnake, or Sidewinder Rattlesnake)
- Subspecies: cerastes (Mojave Desert Sidewinder)
- Subspecies: cercobombus (Sonoran Desert Sidewinder)
- Subspecies: laterorepens (Colorado Desert Sidewinder)
- Species: cerberus: (Arizona Black Rattlesnake aka Black Rattlesnake)
- Species: concur – Midget Faded Rattlesnake, Faded Rattlesnake, and Yellow Rattlesnake
- Species: helleri – South Pacific Rattlesnake
- Species: lepidus (Blue Rattlesnake, Eastern Rock Rattlesnake, Green Rattlesnake, Little Green Rattlesnake, Pink Rattlesnake, Rock Rattlesnake, Texas Rock Rattlesnake, and White Rattlesnake)
- Subspecies: klauberi (Banded Rock Rattlesnake)
- Species: Lutosus – Great Basin Rattlesnake
- Species: mitchellii (Speckled Rattlesnake)
- Species: molossus (Black-tailed Rattlesnake)
- Species: oreganus (Northern Pacific Rattlesnake)
- Subspecies: abyssus (Grand Canyon Rattlesnake)
- Species: pricei (twin-spotted rattlesnake, western twin-spotted rattlesnake, Price’s rattlesnake, Arizona spotted rattlesnake, spotted rattlesnake, and Arizona twin-spotted rattlesnake)
- Species: pyrrhus (Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake)
- Species: scutulatus (Mojave Green Rattlesnake)
- Species: stephensii (Panamint Rattlesnake)
- Species: viridis (Prairie Rattlesnake)
- Subspecies: nuntius (Hopi Rattlesnake, Arizona prairie rattlesnake)
- Species: willardi (Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake, Willard’s rattlesnake, Willard’s rattler)
- Subspecies: obscurus (New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake)
- Subspecies: willardi (Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake)
- Genus: Gyalopion (Hooknose Snake)
- Species: Canum (Western Hooknose Snake)
- Genus: Crotalus [Rattlesnake]
- Family: Xantusiidae
- Genus: Xantusia
- Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis)
- Genus: Xantusia
Reptile Trivia
- Did you know that October 21st is National Reptile Awareness Day?
- All reptiles have scales.
- Reptiles are 350 million years old.
- Tortoises are the longest-living reptiles.
- Some reptiles can change color.
- Reptiles do not sweat.
- The Arizona State Reptile is the Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi willardi).
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous.
- Snakes do not have eyelids, instead, they protect their eyes with a pair of modified scales called eye caps.
Reptiles in Nevada
More than 52 registered species of reptiles live in Nevada, where 12 are considered venomous and an additional 6 are considered dangerous. [We have almost 60 listed below for our list located in Nevada.]
Venomous species of snakes include the sidewinder, western diamondback, and Great Basin rattlesnakes.
41 species of reptiles and 12 species of amphibians have been recorded at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
All reptiles and amphibians in the recreation area hibernate during the colder months of the year, usually from November through February.
Other species of reptiles include the venomous Gila monster, northern desert horned lizard, sagebrush lizard, leopard lizard, western fence lizard, short-horned lizard, and the Nevadan official state reptile: the threatened desert tortoise.
Related article >> Snakes in Nevada
The desert tortoise, which can live up to seventy years, is found in southwestern Nevada and is the largest reptile in the southwestern United States.
In parts of the state, the population has decreased thirty to fifty percent due to predation, disease, vandalism, and illegal collection by humans.

Below are the articles we have written and others will be added once the articles are published.
Reptiles in the Southwest
Lizards And Skinks Of The Southwest
Snakes Of The Southwest (Venomous)
References Used
- Wikipedia – Fauna of Nevada
- Wikipedia – Reptiles
- National Park Services – Reptiles
- iNaturalist – Reptiles [super cool site to see the latest observations and where]
- Wikipedia – Reptile
- iNaturalist.org – Reptiles
- Reptile Database