The U.S. state of Alabama is home to 93 indigenous reptile species, not including subspecies. Indigenous species include one species of crocodilian, 12 lizard species, 49 snake species, and 31 turtle species. Three native species have possibly been extirpated from the state. These include the eastern indigo snake, southern hognose snake and the mimic glass lizard.[1][2]

There are four known introduced reptile species, all lizards.[3] They include the Indo-Pacific gecko, brown anole, Texas horned lizard, and Mediterranean house gecko.[4]

Human predation and habitat destruction has placed several reptile species and subspecies at risk of extirpation or extinction. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources lists the conservation status of each species within the state with a rank of lowest, low, moderate, high, and highest concern.[3][5][6][7]

Alligator

Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservation
concern
Alligator mississippiensis American alligator Alligatoridae No longer listed as endangered, U.S. Fish and Wildlife now lists as threatened

Lizards

Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservation
concern
Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus eastern slender glass lizard Anguidae Moderate
Ophisaurus mimicus mimic glass lizard Anguidae Possibly extirpated
Ophisaurus ventralis eastern glass lizard Anguidae Moderate
Hemidactylus garnotii Indo-Pacific gecko Gekkonidae Exotic
Hemidactylus turcicus Mediterranean house gecko Gekkonidae Exotic
Anolis carolinensis carolinensis green anole Dactyloidae Lowest
Anolis sagrei carolinensis brown anole Dactyloidae Exotic
Phrynosoma cornutum Texas horned lizard Phrynosomatidae Exotic
Sceloporus undulatus eastern fence lizard Phrynosomatidae Low
Plestiodon anthracinus coal skink Scincidae High
Plestiodon egregius mole skink Scincidae Low/
Possibly declining
Plestiodon fasciatus five-lined skink Scincidae Lowest
Plestiodon inexpectatus southeastern five-lined skink Scincidae High
Plestiodon laticeps broad-headed skink Scincidae Low
Scincella lateralis ground skink
little brown skink		 Scincidae Low
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus sexlineatus eastern six-lined racerunner Teiidae Moderate

Snakes

Alabama is home to sixty-six known snake species and subspecies. There are nine snake species and subspecies that are venomous to humans in the state. The remaining fifty-five species and subspecies pose no threat to humans.[5][8][9]

Image Scientific name Common name Family Venomous to humans Conservation
concern
Agkistrodon contortrix eastern copperhead Viperidae Yes Lowest
Agkistrodon conanti Florida cottonmouth
green-tailed moccasin		 Viperidae Yes Lowest
Agkistrodon piscivorus northern cottonmouth
water moccasin		 Viperidae Yes Lowest
Carphophis amoenus amoenus eastern worm snake Colubridae No Lowest
Carphophis amoenus helenae midwestern worm snake Colubridae No Lowest
Cemophora coccinea copei northern scarlet snake Colubridae No Lowest
Coluber constrictor constrictor northern black racer Colubridae No Low
Coluber constrictor priapus southern black racer Colubridae No Low
Crotalus adamanteus eastern diamondback rattlesnake Viperidae Yes High
Crotalus horridus timber rattlesnake
canebrake rattlesnake		 Viperidae Yes Low
Diadophis punctatus edwardsii northern ringneck snake Colubridae No Lowest
Diadophis punctatus punctatus southern ringneck snake Colubridae No Lowest
Diadophis punctatus stictogenys Mississippi ringneck snake Colubridae No Lowest
Drymarchon couperi eastern indigo snake Colubridae No Highest,
Possibly extirpated
Elaphe obsoleta spiloides gray rat snake Colubridae No Lowest
Farancia abacura abacura eastern mud snake Colubridae No Low
Farancia abacura reinwardtii western mud snake Colubridae No Low
Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma rainbow snake Colubridae No Highest
Heterodon platirhinos eastern hognose snake Colubridae No Moderate
Heterodon simus southern hognose snake Colubridae No Highest,
Possibly extirpated
Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster prairie kingsnake Colubridae No High
Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata mole kingsnake Colubridae No Moderate
Lampropeltis elapsoides scarlet kingsnake Colubridae No Low
Lampropeltis getula getula eastern kingsnake Colubridae No High
Lampropeltis getula holbrooki speckled kingsnake Colubridae No High
Lampropeltis nigra black kingsnake Colubridae No Low
Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum eastern milk snake Colubridae No Moderate
Lampropeltis triangulum syspila red milk snake Colubridae No Moderate
Masticophis flagellum flagellum eastern coachwhip Colubridae No Moderate
Micrurus fulvius eastern coral snake Elapidae Yes High
Nerodia clarkii clarkii Gulf salt marsh snake Colubridae No Moderate
Nerodia cyclopion Mississippi green water snake Colubridae No Moderate
Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster redbelly water snake Colubridae No Lowest
Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster yellowbelly water snake Colubridae No Lowest
Nerodia fasciata confluens broad-banded water snake Colubridae No Lowest
Nerodia fasciata fasciata southern banded water snake Colubridae No Lowest
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris Florida banded water snake Colubridae No Lowest
Nerodia floridana Florida green water snake Colubridae No Moderate
Nerodia rhombifer diamondback water snake Colubridae No Low
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis midland water snake Colubridae No Lowest
Nerodia taxispilota brown water snake Colubridae No Low
Opheodrys aestivus rough green snake Colubridae No Low
Pantherophis guttatus guttatus corn snake Colubridae No Moderate
Pantherophis obsoletus black rat snake Colubridae No Lowest
Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi black pine snake Colubridae No Highest
Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus northern pine snake Colubridae No High
Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus Florida pine snake Colubridae No High
Regina rigida sinicola Gulf crayfish snake Colubridae No Lowest
Regina septemvittata queen snake Colubridae No Moderate
Rhadinaea flavilata pine woods snake Colubridae No Moderate
Seminatrix pygaea pygaea North Florida swamp snake Colubridae No High
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri dusky pigmy rattlesnake
Florida ground rattlesnake		 Viperidae Yes Moderate
Sistrurus miliarius miliarius Carolina pigmy rattlesnake
ground rattlesnake		 Viperidae Yes Moderate
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri western pigmy rattlesnake
ground rattlesnake		 Viperidae Yes Moderate
Storeria dekayi dekayi northern brown snake Colubridae No Lowest
Storeria dekayi limnetes marsh brown snake Colubridae No Lowest
Storeria dekayi wrightorum midland brown snake Colubridae No Lowest
Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata northern redbelly snake Colubridae No Lowest
Tantilla coronata southeastern crown snake Colubridae No Low
Thamnophis saurita saurita eastern ribbon snake Colubridae No Low
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis common garter snake Colubridae No Low
Virginia striatula smooth earth snake Colubridae No Lowest
Virginia valeriae elegans western earth snake Colubridae No Lowest
Virginia valeriae valeriae eastern earth snake Colubridae No Lowest

Turtles

Alabama law makes it illegal to take, sell or possess turtles, turtle parts, or turtle eggs from the wild for commercial purposes.[6]

Image Scientific name Common name Family Conservation
concern
Caretta caretta loggerhead sea turtle Cheloniidae Highest
Chelonia mydas green sea turtle Cheloniidae Highest
Lepidochelys kempii Atlantic ridley sea turtle Cheloniidae Highest/
U.S. Fish and Wildlife lists as endangered
Chelydra serpentina common snapping turtle Chelydridae Lowest
Macrochelys temminckii alligator snapping turtle Chelydridae Wheeler Wildlife Refuge lists as endangered
Dermochelys coriacea leatherback sea turtle Dermochelyidae Highest/
U.S. Fish and Wildlife lists as endangered
Chrysemys picta picta eastern painted turtle Emydidae Lowest
Chrysemys picta dorsalis southern painted turtle Emydidae Lowest
Chrysemys picta marginata midland painted turtle Emydidae Lowest
Deirochelys reticularia reticularia eastern chicken turtle Emydidae Low
Graptemys barbouri Barbour's map turtle Emydidae High
Graptemys ernsti Escambia map turtle Emydidae Moderate
Graptemys geographica northern map turtle Emydidae Low
Graptemys nigrinoda delticola delta map turtle
southern black-knobbed sawback		 Emydidae Moderate
Graptemys nigrinoda nigrinoda black-knobbed map turtle
northern black-knobbed sawback		 Emydidae Moderate
Graptemys ouachitensis Ouachita map turtle Emydidae Lowest
Graptemys pulchra Alabama map turtle Emydidae Moderate
Malaclemys terrapin pileata Mississippi diamondback terrapin Emydidae Highest
Pseudemys alabamensis Alabama red-bellied cooter
(Designated as official state reptile)		 Emydidae Highest/
U.S. Fish and Wildlife lists as endangered
Pseudemys concinna concinna eastern river cooter Emydidae Lowest
Pseudemys concinna floridana coastal plain cooter Emydidae Lowest
Trachemys scripta elegans red-eared slider Emydidae Lowest
Trachemys scripta scripta yellow-bellied slider Emydidae Lowest
Terrapene carolina carolina eastern box turtle Emydidae Low
Terrapene carolina major Gulf Coast box turtle Emydidae Low
Terrapene carolina triunguis three-toed box turtle Emydidae Low
Kinosternon subrubrum eastern mud turtle Kinosternidae Lowest
Sternotherus minor minor loggerhead musk turtle Kinosternidae Low
Sternotherus minor peltifer stripe-necked musk turtle Kinosternidae Low
Sternotherus depressus flattened musk turtle Kinosternidae High
Sternotherus odoratus common musk turtle
stinkpot turtle		 Kinosternidae Lowest
Gopherus polyphemus gopher tortoise Testudinidae High
Apalone ferox Florida softshell turtle Trionychidae Moderate
Apalone mutica smooth softshell turtle Trionychidae Low
Apalone spinifera spiny softshell turtle Trionychidae Low

References

  1. ^ Mount, Robert H. (1975). The Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama. Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Printing Company. pp. 150–315. OCLC 1958638.
  2. ^ "Reptiles in Alabama". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on October 30, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Lizards". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  4. ^ "Exotic Animals Established in Alabama". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Snakes". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Turtles". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  7. ^ "Alligators". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 7, 2005. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  8. ^ Mount, Robert H. (1975). The Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama. Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Printing Company. pp. 172–259. OCLC 1958638.
  9. ^ "Identification and Control of Snakes in Alabama" (PDF). Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Alabama A&M University and Auburn University. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
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