List of reptiles of Florida
This is a list of reptiles which are found in the U.S. state of Florida. This list includes both native and introduced species. Introduced species are put on this list only if they have an established population (large breeding population, numerous specimens caught, invasive, etc.). Three out of the four orders of reptiles can be found in Florida, with the Tuatara order being absent. Though many sources has different amounts (due to introduced species), this lists 118 species, which is about right.[1]
Testudines
This order includes all the freshwater and sea turtles, as well as the land tortoises. Overall, 26 species can be found. Florida has many turtles, but only one species of tortoise.
Emydids
Snapping Turtles
Mud Turtles
Softshells
Leatherback
Sea Turtles
Tortoises
Crocodilians
There are officially 2 large species of Crocodilians and one introduced species found in Florida. They are the largest reptiles and the largest predators of the state. The Spectacled Caiman was introduced in the 1960s by pet traders who sold them privately as pets, but once the caiman matures they become aggressive towards their owners and would release them into the wild. These non-native species are found in four counties: palm beach, seminole, miami-dade, and broward. In these Southern Florida counties they are often found in or near urban areas. They are found in lakes and canals in the miami area and in swamps, but the caimans are also competing with Florida's native species.
Alligators
- American alligator
- Spectacled caiman - Introduced[3]
Crocodiles
- American crocodile
- Nile crocodile - Introduced[4]
Squamates (suborder Lacertilia)
The squamates are by far the largest reptile order. It is therefore divided into suborders. Lizards may be the most numerous reptiles in the state, though many species were introduced.
Anoles
- Green Anole
- Brown Anole - Introduced
- Bark Anole - Introduced
- Barbados anole - Introduced
- Knight Anole - Introduced
- Crested Anole - Introduced
- Large-headed Anole - Introduced
- Cuban Green Anole - Introduced
- Morne Constant anole - Introduced
- Common Puerto Rican anole - Introduced
- Hispaniolan Green Anole - Introduced
- Jamaican Giant Anole - Introduced
Iguanas
- Florida scrub lizard
- Eastern fence lizard
- Green Iguana - Introduced
- Common Basilisk - Introduced
- Brown Basilisk - Introduced
- Plumed basilisk - Introduced
- Common agama - Introduced
- Common butterfly lizard - Introduced[5]
- Black Spinytail Iguana - Introduced[6]
- Mexican Spinytail Iguana - Introduced[7]
- Texas horned lizard - Introduced
- Oriental garden lizard - Introduced[8]
- Northern Curly-tailed Lizard - Introduced
- Indo-Chinese forest lizard - Introduced[9]
- Green-legged curly-tail - Introduced
- Hispaniolan Curly-tailed Lizard - Introduced
- Veiled chameleon - Introduced [10]
- Panther chameleon - Introduced
- Jackson’s chameleon - Introduced
- Oustalet’s chameleon - Introduced
- Senegal chameleon - Introduced
- Meller’s chameleon - Introduced
- White-lined chameleon - Introduced
Varanids
- Nile monitor - Introduced[11]
Teiids
- Six-lined Racerunner
- Giant Ameiva (Ameiva ameiva) - Introduced
- Rainbow Whiptail - Introduced
- Argentine black and white tegu - Introduced[12]
Geckos
- Reef Gecko
- Ocellated Gecko - Introduced
- Ashy Gecko - Introduced
- House Gecko - Introduced
- Tokay Gecko - Introduced
- Ocellated gecko - Introduced
- Moorish wall gecko - Introduced
- Common house gecko - Introduced
- Yellow-headed gecko - Introduced[13]
- Mediterranean house gecko - Introduced
- Tropical house gecko - Introduced
- Flat-tailed house gecko - Introduced
- Bibron's thick-toed gecko - Introduced
- Indo-Pacific Gecko - Introduced
- Asian Flattail House Gecko - Introduced
- Madagascan Giant Day Gecko - Introduced[14]
- Gold dust day gecko - Introduced[15]
Skinks
Anguids
Rhineuridae
Squamates (suborder Serpentes)
This suborder includes all kinds of snakes. There are many snakes in Florida, some venomous and others non-venomous, and unlike lizards, nearly all are native. Two species are introduced, including the Burmese Python, which was introduced when Hurricane Andrew destroyed a holding facility full of imported snakes, and which created a huge media storm and fears it would become widely invasive, but this species has proven unable to withstand colder weather outside of extreme South Florida.
Blind Snakes
- Brahminy Blind Snake - Introduced
Boas
- Boa constrictor - Introduced
- Rainbow boa - Introduced
Colubrids
- Corn Snake
- Mud Snake
- Ribbon Snake
- Rainbow Snake
- Black Rat Snake
- Common Garter Snake
- Rough Green Snake
- Pine Snake
- Redbelly Snake
- Eastern Racer
- Southern black racer
- Scarlet Snake
- American Brown Snake
- Rough Earth Snake
- Smooth Earth Snake
- Florida Crown Snake
- Southeastern Crown Snake
- Rim Rock Crown Snake
- Swamp Snake
- Short-tailed Snake
- Queen Snake
- Striped Crayfish Snake
- Glossy Crayfish Snake
- Pine Woods Snake
- Common Kingsnake
- Mole Kingsnake
- Scarlet Kingsnake
- Salt Marsh Snake
- Gulf Salt Marsh Snake
- Green Water Snake
- Brown Water Snake
- Banded Water Snake
- Midland Water Snake
- Plainbelly Water Snake
- Coachwhip
- Ringneck Snake
- Eastern Indigo Snake
- Eastern Hognose Snake
- Southern Hognose Snake
Elapids
- Eastern Coral Snake
- Eastern green mamba - Introduced
- Western green mamba - Introduced
- King cobra - Introduced
Vipers
Squamates (suborder Amphisbaenidae)
This is the smallest and least known squamate suborder. It contains the wormlike amphisbaenids. Florida has one species.
Squamates (suborder Scleroglossa)
This is the largest and now best known squamate suborder. It contains the huge Anguimorpha, the monitor lizard, common to South Florida, especially the Everglades. Florida has now at least one species.
Amphisbaenids
References
- ↑
- ↑ http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/archives/mtn101/mtn101p23.shtml
- ↑ https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/nile-crocodiles-florida-reptiles-science/
- ↑ https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/nile-crocodiles-florida-reptiles-science/
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- ↑ http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/nile-monitor/
- ↑ http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/argentine-black-and-white-tegu/
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