• Guides
  • Southern California Reptiles and Amphibians

Southern California Reptiles and Amphibians

Southern California is a very diverse place. Because of this many reptile and amphibian species live and depend on the various habitats. This is a list of all native and invasive species found in Southern California.

Southern Rubber Boa 1
Charina umbratica
Rosy Boa 1
Lichanura trivirgata
Northern Three-lined Boa 2
Lichanura orcutti
Desert Glossy Snake 3
Arizona elegans eburnata
California Glossy Snake 4
Arizona elegans occidentalis
Mojave Glossy Snake
Arizona elegans candida
Baja California Ratsnake 5
Bogertophis rosaliae
Colorado Desert Shovelnose Snake 5
Chionactis occipitalis annulata
Mojave Shovelnose Snake 6
Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis
Western Yellow-bellied Racer 7
Coluber constrictor mormon
Red Coachwhip
Coluber flagellum piceus
Baja California Coachwhip 8
Coluber fuliginosus
California Striped Racer 9
Coluber lateralis lateralis
Desert Striped Whipsnake 10
Coluber taeniatus taeniatus
Sharp-tailed Snake 11
Contia tenuis
San Bernardino Ringneck Snake 6
Diadophis punctatus modestus
Coralbelly Ringneck Snake 7
Diadophis punctatus pulchellus
Regal Ringneck Snake 12
Diadophis punctatus regalis
San Diego Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus similis
Monterey Ring-necked Snake 13
Diadophis punctatus vandenburghi
California Nightsnake 7
Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata
Desert Nightsnake 10
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
San Diego Nightsnake 6
Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi
California King Snake 14
Lampropeltis californiae
Lampropeltis zonata multicincta 15
Lampropeltis zonata multifasciata 16
San Bernardino Mountain King Snake 5
Lampropeltis zonata parvirubra
San Diego Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis zonata pulchra
Sonoran Gopher Snake 17
Pituophis catenifer affinis
San Diego Gopher Snake 18
Pituophis catenifer annectens
Great Basin Gopher Snake 19
Pituophis catenifer deserticola
Long-nosed Snake 17
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Western Leaf-nosed Snake 20
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Desert Patchnose Snake 21
Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis
Mojave Patchnose Snake 22
Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis
Coast Patchnose Snake 23
Salvadora hexalepis virgultea
Variable Groundsnake 13
Sonora semiannulata semiannulata
Southwestern Blackhead Snake
Tantilla hobartsmithi
Western Black-headed Snake 24
Tantilla planiceps
Diablo Range Garter Snake 25
Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus
Western Aquatic Garter Snake 7
Thamnophis couchii
Mountain Garter Snake 26
Thamnophis elegans elegans
Coast Gartersnake 5
Thamnophis elegans terrestris
Wandering Garter Snake 27
Thamnophis elegans vagrans
Two-striped Garter Snake 9
Thamnophis hammondii
Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake 13
Thamnophis marcianus marcianus
Valley Garter Snake 28
Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi
California Red-sided Garter Snake 26
Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
Sonoran Lyre Snake
Trimorphodon lambda
Baja California Lyre Snake 5
Trimorphodon lyrophanes
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake 29
Crotalus atrox
Mojave desert sidewinder
Crotalus cerastes cerastes
Colorado Desert Sidewinder 30
Crotalus cerastes laterorepens
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake 30
Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus
Panamint Rattlesnake 31
Crotalus stephensi
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake 32
Crotalus oreganus oreganus
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake 33
Crotalus oreganus helleri
Red Diamond Rattlesnake 30
Crotalus ruber
Mojave Rattlesnake 30
Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus
Desert Blind Snake
Rena humilis cahuilae
Southwestern Blind Snake
Rena humilis humilis
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake 34
Hydrophis platurus
Brahminy Blind Snake 35
Ramphotyphlops braminus
Florida Watersnake 36
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris
Sierra Alligator Lizard 37
Elgaria coerulea palmeri
California Alligator Lizard 38
Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata
San Diego Alligator Lizard 7
Elgaria multicarinata webbii
Northern Legless Lizard 39
Anniella pulchra
Temblor Legless Lizard
Anniella alexanderae
Big Spring Legless Lizard
Anniella campi
Bakersfield Legless Lizard
Anniella grinelli
Desert Collared Lizard 40
Crotaphytus bicinctores
Baja California Collared Lizard 41
Crotaphytus vestigium
Cope's Leopard Lizard 42
Gambelia copeii
Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard 43
Gambelia sila
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard 44
Gambelia wislizenii
Switak's banded gecko 5
Coleonyx switaki
San Diego Banded Gecko 45
Coleonyx variegatus abbotti
Desert Banded Gecko
Coleonyx variegatus variegatus
Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko 5
Phyllodactylus nocticolus
Banded Gila Monster 46
Heloderma suspectum cinctum
Desert Iguana 47
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Common Chuckwalla 48
Sauromalus ater
Mojave Zebra-tailed Lizard 43
Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus
Mearns' Rock Lizard 13
Petrosaurus mearnsi mearnsi
Coast Horned Lizard 32
Phrynosoma blainvillii
Flat-tailed Horned Lizard 49
Phrynosoma mcallii
Southern Desert Horned Lizard 50
Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum
Mountain Swift 38
Sceloporus graciosus gracilis
Southern Sagebrush Lizard 51
Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus
Desert Spiny Lizard 28
Sceloporus magister
Island Fence Lizard 52
Sceloporus occidentalis becki
San Joaquin Fence Lizard 53
Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus
Great Basin Fence Lizard 54
Sceloporus occidentalis longipes
Coast Range Fence Lizard 55
Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii
Granite Spiny Lizard 56
Sceloporus orcutti
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard 3
Sceloporus uniformis
Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard 57
Uma inornata
Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard 5
Uma notata
Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard 58
Uma scoparia

Edited by Dominic, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

Photo Credits

  • 1. (c) Vincent Scheidt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Vincent Scheidt
  • 2. (c) Ltshears, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  • 3. (c) Kerry Matz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 4. (c) Natalie McNear, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 5. (c) 1999 California Academy of Sciences, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 6. (c) Global Herper, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 7. (c) randomtruth, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 8. (c) Ryan Brown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Ryan Brown
  • 9. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 10. (c) Bryan Hamilton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 11. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  • 12. (c) cool.as.a.cucumber, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 13. (c) John Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John Sullivan
  • 14. (c) Maury Duchamp, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 15. (c) *~Dawn~*, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 16. (c) J. Maughn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by J. Maughn
  • 17. (c) tom spinker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 18. (c) shelly2dogs, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 19. (c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  • 20. (c) zmcabee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 21. (c) Patrick Dockens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 22. (c) 2014 Todd Battey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 23. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 24. (c) ap2il, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 25. (c) Greg Schechter, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 26. (c) David Hofmann, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 27. no rights reserved
  • 28. (c) C.V. Vick, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 29. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 30. (c) acorbit, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 31. (c) David~O, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 32. (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 33. (c) Mike Baird, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 34. (c) Curator, James M. Bryant, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Curator, James M. Bryant
  • 35. (c) Marc AuMarc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 36. (c) BJ Stacey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 37. (c) Elaine with Grey Cats, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
  • 38. (c) James Maughn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by James Maughn
  • 39. (c) Jerry Kirkhart, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 40. (c) J. N. Stuart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 41. (c) Matt MacManes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 42. (c) 2004 Chris Brown, USGS, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 43. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 44. (c) Jeremy Yoder, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 45. (c) johnallen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 46. (c) Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 47. (c) Danny Barron, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 48. (c) Erin and Lance Willett, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
  • 49. (c) Pacific Southwest Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 50. (c) Marshal Hedin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 51. (c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Amphibians & Reptiles, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 52. (c) Zack Abbey, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zack Abbey
  • 53. (c) Maggie.Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 54. (c) 2011 Robert A. Hamilton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 55. (c) Franco Folini, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 56. (c) Matthew Mendoza, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
  • 57. (c) USFWS Endangered Species, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 58. (c) David Bygott, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)

Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers