Biodiversity of Colombia
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Reptiles of South America
Reptiles of South America | |
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| Sovereign states | |
Dependencies and other territories |
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Colombia is the sixth richest country in the world for reptiles, and third richest in the Western Hemisphere.[1][2]
The turtles (order: Chelonii or Testudines) number thirty-three species from nine families. Fifteen species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.[3] Three turtle species are listed as endemic.
| Snapping turtles - Chelydridae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelydra acutirostris | South American snapping turtle | Pacific & Caribbean lowlands | |
| Sea turtles - Cheloniidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Caretta caretta | Loggerhead sea turtle | Caribbean | endangered |
| Lepidochelys kempii | Kemp's ridley sea turtle | Caribbean | critically endangered |
| Lepidochelys olivacea | Olive ridley sea turtle | Pacific & Caribbean coasts | vulnerable |
| Chelonia mydas | Green sea turtle | Pacific & Caribbean coasts | endangered |
| Eretmochelys imbricata | Hawksbill sea turtle | Pacific & Caribbean coasts | critically endangered |
| Sea turtles - Dermochelyidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Dermochelys coriacea | Leatherback sea turtle | Pacific & Caribbean coasts | critically endangered |
| Mud turtles - Kinosternidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Kinosternon dunni | Colombian mud turtle | Pacific lowlands (Chocó) | Endemic; vulnerable |
| Kinosternon leucostomum | White-lipped mud turtle | Pacific lowlands | vulnerable |
| Kinosternon scorpioides | Scorpion mud turtle | Pacific lowlands, Amazon basin | |
| Pond turtles - Emydidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Trachemys callirostris | Colombian slider | ||
| Trachemys venusta | Meso-American slider | ||
| Wood turtles - Geoemydidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Rhinoclemmys annulata | Brown wood turtle | ||
| Rhinoclemmys diademata | Maracaibo wood turtle | ||
| Rhinoclemmys melanosterna | Colombian wood turtle | ||
| Rhinoclemmys nasuta | Large-nosed wood turtle | ||
| Tortoises - Testudinidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Chelonoidis carbonaria | Red-footed tortoise | Amazon basin | vulnerable |
| Chelonoidis denticulata | Yellow-footed tortoise | Amazon basin | vulnerable |
| Side-necked turtles - Podocnemididae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Peltocephalus dumerilianus | Big-headed Amazon River turtle | Amazon basin | vulnerable |
| Podocnemis erythrocephala | Red-headed Amazon River turtle | Amazon basin | vulnerable |
| Podocnemis expansa | Giant South American turtle | Amazon basin | |
| Podocnemis lewyana | Magdalena River turtle | Magdalena River | Endemic; endangered |
| Podocnemis sextuberculata | Six-tubercled Amazon River turtle | Amazon basin | vulnerable |
| Podocnemis unifilis | Yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle | Amazon basin | vulnerable |
| Podocnemis vogli | Savanna side-necked turtle | Orinoco basin | |
| Side-necked turtles - Chelidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Chelus fimbriata | Mata mata | Amazon & Orinoco basins | |
| Mesoclemmys dahli | Dahl's toad-headed turtle | Northeast Colombia (Bolivar) | Endemic |
| Mesoclemmys gibba | Gibba turtle | ||
| Mesoclemmys raniceps | Amazon toad-headed turtle | Amazon basin | |
| Phrynops geoffroanus | Geoffroy's side-necked turtle | Amazon basin | |
| Phrynops tuberosus | Cotinga River toad-headed turtle | Amazon basin | |
| Platemys platycephala | Twist-necked turtle | Amazon & Orinoco basins | |
| Rhinemys rufipes | Red side-necked turtle | Amazon basin |
| Alligators & caimans - Alligatoridae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paleosuchus palpebrosus | Cuvier's dwarf caiman | ||
| Paleosuchus trigonatus | Smooth-fronted caiman | ||
| Caiman crocodilus | Spectacled caiman | ||
| Melanosuchus niger | Black caiman | ||
| Crocodiles - Crocodylidae | |||
| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution | Status |
| Crocodylus acutus | American crocodile | vulnerable | |
| Crocodylus intermedius | Orinoco crocodile | critically endangered |
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Main article: Lizards of Colombia |
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Main article: Snakes of Colombia |