Reptiles of San Franscisco Bay Area
Pacific Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata (Walnut Creek) |
Southern Alligator Lizard - Elgaria multicarinata (Pleasanton) |
Western Fence Lizard - Sceloporus occidentalis (Mines Road) |
Blainville's Horned Lizard - Phrynosoma blainvillii (Mount Diablo) |
Aquatic Gartersnake - Thamnophis atratus (Mines Road) |
California Red-sided Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis (Mines Road) |
Sharp-tailed Snake - Contia tenuis (Pleasanton) |
California Kingsnake - Lampropeltis getula (Pleasanton) |
Gopher Snake - Pituophis catenifer (Mines Road) |
Western Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus (Mines Road) |
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. All the common species of reptiles found in the Bay Area are listed here.
Sea Turtles
- Leatherback Sea Turtle - Dermochelys coriacea
Turtles and Tortoises
- Pacific (Western) Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata
- Red-eared Slider - Trachemys scripta elegans (introduced,not native)
Lizards
- Western Fence Lizard - Sceloporus occidentalis
- Sagebrush Lizard - Sceloporus graciosus
- Western Skink - Eumeces skiltonianus
- Gilbert's Skink - Plestiodon gilberti
- California (Southern) Alligator Lizard - Elgaria multicarinata
- Northern Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea
- Tiger (California/Western) Whiptail - Aspidoscelis tigris munda
- Blainville's (Coast) Horned Lizard - Phrynosoma blainvillii
- California Legless Lizard - Anniella pulchra
Snakes
- Rubber Boa - Charina bottae
- Glossy Snake - Arizona elegans
- Western Yellow-bellied Racer - Coluber constrictor
- Alameda Striped Racer (Alameda Whipsnake) - Coluber lateralis euryxanthus (Endangered)
- California Striped Racer - Coluber lateralis lateralis
- Sharp-tailed Snake - Contia tenuis
- Forest Sharp-tailed Snake - Contia longicaudae (recently discovered)
- Ring-necked Snake - Diadophis punctatus
- California Nightsnake - Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata
- Common Kingsnake - Lampropeltis getula
- California Mountain Kingsnake - Lampropeltis zonata
- Gopher Snake - Pituophis catenifer
- Long-nosed Snake - Rhinocheilus lecontei
- Western Black-headed Snake - Tantilla planiceps
- Aquatic Gartersnake - Thamnophis atratus
- Western Terrestrial Gartersnake - Thamnophis elegans
- California Red-sided Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
- San Francisco Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia
- Western Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus
Reptile Articles/Links
- Nice little guide, with photos, to the Reptiles and Amphibians of the Bay Area by Gary Nafis on californiaherps.com
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- A photographic guide to snakes of the Bay Area by Richard Stallcup.
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- Identifying California Lizards page at CaliforniaHerps.com. This is a wonderful site with a lot of technical details about each species. ...link
- Identifying California Snakes page at CaliforniaHerps.com. ...link
- East Bay Parks identification guide for snakes.
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- Online Guide to reptiles of Marin County with photos and descriptions.
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- Amphibians and Reptiles of Henry W. Coe State Park
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- Pacific (Western) Pond Turtle education resource including printable brocure by Matthew Bettelheim
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