The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a venomous pit viper endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae. As a common species within its range, it may be encountered by humans. Unlike other...
The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea ), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 1.8 metres and...
The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. It is also one of the largest crocodile species. Males can reach lengths of 6.1 m (20 ft 0 in), weighing up to 907 kg...
The Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) is a heavy slow-moving venomous lizard. It is the largest extant lizard native to North America north of the Mexican border. The name "Gila" refers to the Gila River Basin in the U.S. states of New Mexico and...
The Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans ) is a subspecies of the Pond slider, a semiaquatic turtle. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States, is also popular as a pet across the rest of the world, and is the most invasive...
The common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis ) is a species of natricine snake, which is indigenous to North America and found widely across the continent. Most common garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a black, brown or green...
The Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is the most widespread native turtle of North America. Fossils show that the painted turtle existed 15 million years ago. In the traditional tales of Algonquian tribes, the colorful turtle played the part of a...
The Milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) is a species of kingsnake. The subspecies have strikingly different appearances, and many of them have their own common names. The Milk snake is not venomous to humans.
The Ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus) is a harmless snake found in North America. It is very secretive and is rarely seen during the daytime. It is slightly venomous, but its nonaggressive nature and small, rear-facing fangs pose little threat...
The Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. The common name of this species refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black....
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta ), is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) in carapace length when...
The massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) is a venomous rattlesnake species found in midwestern North America. Like all rattlesnakes, it belongs to the pit viper family. Rattlesnakes receive their name from the rattle located at the end of their tails,...
The fer-de-lance (Bothrops asper) is a highly venomous pit viper species found from southern Mexico to northern South America. It is the most dangerous snake of Central and South America and is the main cause of fatal snakebite incidents within its...
The California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) is a nonvenomous snake endemic to the western United States and northern Mexico. Due to ease of care and a wide range of color variations, it is one of the most popular snakes in captivity. The...
The Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) is a venomous rattlesnake species found in the United States and Mexico. It is likely responsible for the majority of snakebite fatalities in northern Mexico and the greatest number of snakebites...
The Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. The Hawksbill sea turtle has a global distribution; it lives part...
The Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), is a species of tortoise native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Desert tortoises grow slowly and live about 50 to 80 years. They can tolerate water, salt, and energy imbalances on...
TheEastern racer (Coluber constrictor) is a species of nonvenomous snake native to North America and Central America. "Runner" is sometimes used instead of "racer" in their common names.
The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea ), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world....
The Brown snake (Storeria dekayi) is a small non-venomous species of snake native to North and Central America.
The Smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis) is a North American nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is small to medium in size and gets its common name from its smooth dorsal scales. A non-aggressive snake, it seldom bites and usually...
The Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to North America. This snake is often mistaken for the Prairie rattlesnake but can be easily distinguished from a rattlesnake by the lack of black and white...
The sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) is a venomous pit viper species belonging to the genus Crotalus (the rattlesnakes). It is found in the desert regions of North America.
The Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) is a highly venomous pit viper species found in North America. It is perhaps best known for its potent neurotoxic-hemotoxic venom, which is considered one of the world's most potent rattlesnake venoms.
The Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a common lizard found in the western United States and northwestern Mexico. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly.
The Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is a venomous pit viper species native to North America. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the Prairie rattlesnake, the nominate subspecies, and the Hopi rattlesnake.
The Mexican black kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigrita ) is part of the larger colubrid family of snakes, and a subspecies of the common kingsnake, which is debated by herpetologists to contain as many as 10 unique varieties. This species occupy...
The coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) is a nonvenomous colubrid snake found only in the United States and Mexico. The primary myth concerning coachwhips, that they chase people, likely arises from the snake and the person both being frightened, and...
The Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) is a harmless spikey-bodied reptile called horned lizard. It is the largest and most widely distributed of the 14 species of horned lizards in the western United States and Mexico.
The Pacific gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer ) is a subspecies of large non-venomous colubrid snake native to the western coast of North America.
The Black-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Alternate common names of this snake are Green rattler and Northern black-tailed rattlesnake.
The Diamondback water snake (Nerodia rhombifer) is a species of nonvenomous colubrid native to North America. It was first described as Tropidonotus rhombifer by Edward Hallowell in 1852.
The Yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis platurus) is a venomous species of snake found in tropical oceanic waters around the world except for the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the most widely distributed snakes in the world. Yellow-bellied sea snakes...
Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii ), also called the Atlantic ridley sea turtle, is the rarest species of sea turtle and is the world's most endangered species of sea turtle. It is one of two living species in the genus Lepidochelys (the...
The Eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) is a medium-sized non-venomous snake that is native to North America. Its scientific name 'Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis' is a combination of Ancient Greek and New Latin that means "bush snake...
The Western hognose snake (Heterodon nasicus) is a rear-fanged nonvenomous snake native to North America. These snakes get their common name, "hognose", from the modified rostral (nose) scale that is formed in an upturned manner, providing a very...
The New Mexico whiptail (Aspidoscelis neomexicanus) is one of the greatest mysteries of nature and it is the official state reptile of New Mexico. It is a female-only species of lizard and doesn't need males in order to reproduce. This whiptail...
Nerodia erythrogaster, commonly known as the plain-bellied water snake or plainbelly water snake, is a familiar species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous, colubrid snake endemic to the United States.
The eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus ) is a medium-sized species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is found along forest edges, rock piles, and rotting logs or stumps in the eastern United States. It is sometimes...
The Eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) is a highly venomous snake native to the southeastern United States. It should not be confused with the Scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea ) or Scarlet kingsnake, which are harmless mimics. People who live...
The Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is a crocodilian with large range and population. It is native to much of Latin America and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Its common name comes from a bony ridge between...
The Southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) is a common species of lizard native to the Pacific coast of North America. There are five recognized subspecies which live in a variety of habitats.
