Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Reptiles
Crocodilians (0)
Lizards (10)
Snakes (20) + 1 non-native
Turtles (1) + multiple introductions
31 Total Natives
*rare or difficult to find
+ listed, protected, or endangered
Californiaherps.com
http://mvz.berkeley.edu
http://research.calacademy.org/herp
Range maps by Gary Naris
Turtles
Emydidae
Most diverse turtle family: 100+ species.
Both aquatic species, with webbed toes, and
terrestrial species.
Skull differences distinguish this family.
Name means turtle or tortoise.
Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Heather Park, Tilden Park
Habitat: Introduced via pet trade in
public park ponds and some
introduced into wild.
Where to look: on logs; in water.
Curious and often come to inspect
for food.
Food: invertebrates, fish,
amphibians.
Color variation: pale and dark; red
ears may disappear with age in old
males.
Additional Comments: Males have
longer claws. Breeds more than
once per year.
Lizards
Phrynosomatidae
Representatives include Zebra-tailed Lizards,
Horned lizards, Spiny Lizards, Side-blotched
Lizards, Brush Lizards, Tree Lizards and
Earless Lizards.
All have a nasal passage with a U shaped
bend that acts as trap for fine particles,
preventing them from entering the lungs.
Nam means toad mouth.
Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana elegans
Scincidae
Over 1200 species
Shiny cycloid scales reinforced with bone.
Smooth
Small limbs
Forked tongue
Some have window in the lower eyelid so they can see
when eyes are closed, but not ours.
Both egg laying and live-bearing species .
Color pattern changes with age in our species .
Variegated Skink*
Eumeces (Plestiodon) gilberti cancellosis
Varigated Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) gilberti cancellosis
Briones, Lime Ridge
Habitat: grassland, salt flats, open
chaparral and forests, often near
streams.
Where to look: under rocks and logs; in
leaf litter.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Broad alternating pale
and stripes often lost with with age and
may be absent. Red tails develop with
age. Red to orange on head and chin in
breeding season. Newborn young
entirely red in our area; otherwise dark
with lateral white stripes.
Additional Comments. Females remain
with eggs and stay with young after
hatching for a short period of time.
Skiltons Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) skiltonianus
skiltonianus
Skiltons Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) skiltonianus skiltonianus
Mt. Diablo, Sunol, Briones,
Borges Ranch, Morgan Territory
Habitat: chaparral, open forests, pine
forests. Prefers wet regions near
streams.
Where to look: under rocks and logs;
in leaf litter.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Broad alternating pale
and stripes fade with age. Young with
blue tails. Red to orange on head and
chin in breeding season
Additional Comments. Females remain
with eggs and stay with young after
hatching for a short period of time.
Teiidae
~225 species
Slim-bodied, alert
Forked tongues
Move with a jerky gait with side movements of head
Regular transverse and longitudinal rows of belly
scales.
Color pattern changes with growth in many species.
Name = indigenous name for Tegu Lizard
Anguidae
Distributed world wide.
Short limbs and long bodies and limbless
forms.
Distinctive lateral folds of granular sales
on bodies that separates dorsal and
ventral scales.
Both egg-laying and live-bearing species.
Name means snake-like
Annilellidae
Snakes
Boidae
Vestiges of pelvis, displayed as small
spurs, most prominent in males.
Smooth scales.
Some have temperature sensitive pits on
labial scales for detecting prey.
Prey killed typically by constriction.
Boas are live-bearing; Pythons egg laying.
Name means water serpent.
Rubber Boa*
Charina bottae
Rubber Boa*
Charina bottae
Tilden Park; San Mateo County
Colubridae
Family is difficult to characterize and may
be more than one family.
Live-bearing and egg laying forms.
Venomous and non-venous forms.
All have large head scales.
Name means snake.
Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus amabilis
Black-headed Snake
Tanilla nigriceps
Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia tenuis
Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia tenuis
Merritt Campus, Mt. Diablo,
Borges Ranch
Habitat: Forest, grasslands, streams,
prefers wet areas,
Where to look: under rocks and logs,
leaf litter.
Food: slugs and slender salamanders
Color variation: brown to red
Additional Comments. Tail used as a
weapon. Often gregarious.
Alameda Whipsnake+
Masticophis (Coluber) lateralis euryxanthus
Mt. Diablo
Racer
Coluber constrictor (juvenile)
Lampropeltis zonata
Henry Coe Park, Santa Cruz area,
Mt. Hamilton
Common Kingsnake*
Lampropeltis getula
California Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula californiae
Mt. Diablo, Lime Ridge, Black Diamond
Mines, Briones, Tilden Park, Corral
Hollow, Del Puerto Canyon
Habitat: forests, woodlands, chaparral,
marshes, farmland.
Where to look: Under rocks and logs,
sunning on trails, night drives.
Food: snakes, lizards, small turtles.
Frogs. Birds, eggs and small mammals.
Color variation: Uniform in our area
Additional Comments. Eats
rattlesnakes; rattles tail when alarmed.
Long-nosed Snake*
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Long-nosed Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Del Puerto Canyon, Corral Hollow
T. sirtalis
T. atratus
T. elegans
Night Snake*
Hypsiglena ochororhynchus nuchalata
Viperidae
Subfamily Crotalinae
Large hollow movable fangs that swing
forward in strike.
All venomous.
Temperature sensitive pits between eye
and nostril: loreal pits
True vipers live in the old world.
Name means viper.
Head Scales
from A Field Guide to Snakes of California by Philip R. Brown
Range
Habitat
Season
Reproductive strategies
Variations
Distinguishing features
Similar species
Status