Reptiles of San Franscisco Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area boasts several species of reptiles, including different types of snakes and lizards. Although generally harder to see, Bay Area reptiles are an interesting part of the local fauna. The lists below include all Bay Area species including some uncommon and introduced species.

1. Leatherback Sea Turtle - Dermochelys coriacea
2. Green Sea Turtle - Chelonia mydas (Very rarely seen in Northern California)
3. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle - Lepidochelys olivacea (Very rarely seen in Northern California)

1. Western Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata
2. Red-eared Slider - Trachemys scripta elegans (Introduced, not native to California)

1. Western Fence Lizard - Sceloporus occidentalis
2. Sagebrush Lizard - Sceloporus graciosus
3. Common Side-blotched Lizard - Uta stansburiana
4. Western Skink - Eumeces skiltonianus
5. Gilbert's Skink - Plestiodon gilberti
6. California (Southern) Alligator Lizard - Elgaria multicarinata
7. Northern Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea
8. Tiger (California/Western) Whiptail - Aspidoscelis tigris
9. Blainville's (Coast) Horned Lizard - Phrynosoma blainvillii
10. California Legless Lizard - Anniella pulchra

1. Rubber Boa - Charina bottae
2. Glossy Snake - Arizona elegans
3. Western Yellow-bellied Racer - Coluber constrictor
4. Alameda Striped Racer (Alameda Whipsnake) - Coluber lateralis euryxanthus (Endangered)
5. California Striped Racer - Coluber lateralis lateralis
6. Sharp-tailed Snake - Contia tenuis
7. Forest Sharp-tailed Snake - Contia longicaudae (recently discovered)
8. Ring-necked Snake - Diadophis punctatus
9. California Nightsnake - Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata
10. Common Kingsnake - Lampropeltis californiae
11. California Mountain Kingsnake - Lampropeltis zonata
12. Gopher Snake - Pituophis catenifer
13. Long-nosed Snake - Rhinocheilus lecontei
14. Western Black-headed Snake - Tantilla planiceps
15. Aquatic Gartersnake - Thamnophis atratus
16. Western Terrestrial Gartersnake - Thamnophis elegans
17. California Red-sided Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
18. San Francisco Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia
19. Western Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus

Identification/Guides

Compare Gopher Snake and Western Rattlesnake - note head shape, body thickness and tail shape

• Nice guide, with photos, to the Reptiles and Amphibians of the Bay Area by Gary Nafis on californiaherps.com  ...link 
• Amphibians and Reptiles of Henry W. Coe State Park  ...link 
• Identifying California Lizards page at CaliforniaHerps.com. This is a wonderful site with a lot of technical details about each species.  ...link 
• A photographic guide to snakes of the Bay Area by Richard Stallcup.  ...link 
• Identifying California Snakes page at CaliforniaHerps.com.  ...link 
• East Bay Parks identification guide for snakes.  ...link 
• Common Grassland Snakes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Cindy, Dipper Ranch, Jun 2015. Good overview with photos.  ...link 

Articles

• EPA Endangered Species Fact Sheet on Alameda Whipsnake, with detailed range information.  ...link 
• Northern Pacific Rattlesnake Tracker, KQED Quest video story, Aug 2011.  ...link