Bay Area Herpetology

Reptiles & Amphibians of the

San Francisco Bay Area
 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”.
 Western Pond Turtle
Clemmys (Actinemys) marmorata
Western Pond Turtle
 Western Pond Turtle
Clemmys (Actinemys) marmorata
Borges Ranch, Sunol, Heather Park,
Swett Ranch, Briones

Habitat: Ponds, creeks and rivers.

Where to look: on logs; in water,
occasional road crossings.
Food: invertebrates, fish, amphibians.
Color variation: pale and dark forms.
Males have more beige on bodies with
lighter throats; females have flatter shells.
Additional Comments: Our turtle’s species
remains in question.
 Western Pond Turtle
Clemmys (Actinemys) marmorata
 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.
 More Weed Turtle Species

Trachemys scripta scripta Yellow-bellied Slider Pseudemys concinna River Cooter

Graptemys pseudographica False Map Turtle Chysemys pica Western Painted Turtle
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”.
 Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii
 Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii
Habitat: Forests, rocky, suburban
areas, grasslands.
Where to look: rocks, fences,
buildings trees.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Males with
pronounced blue bellies; females
less so. Both sexes darken with
cold; males may be dark in
breeding season. Dorsal color
varies from blue to green when
present. Often color matches
habitat.
Additional Comments. Parietal eye.
Agent against Lyme Disease.
 Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii
Western Sagebrush Lizard!
Sceloporus graciosus gracilis
Western Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus gracilis
Mt. Diablo summit, Del Puerto
Canyon

Habitat: Rocky regions; grasslands.

Where to look: High rock outcrops
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Males darker than
females; more blur color. All have
some orange.
Additional Comments. Mt. Diablo
population most closely related to
Yolo county population.
Small granular scales distinguish
form S. occidentalis.
 Western Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus gracilis
 Coast Horned Lizard+
Phrynosoma blainvillii (coronatum)
 Coast Horned Lizard+
Phrynosoma blainvillii (coronatum)
Mt. Diablo, Lime Ridge

Habitat: Sandy and gravely areas in

grasslands and chaparral
Where to look: Under shrubs; near
ant colonies.
Food: ants
Color variation: pale to dark
Additional Comments. Habitat
destruction, UV radiation and
introduced ant species have
imperiled our horned lizard.
 Coast Horned Lizard+
Phrynosoma blainvillii (coronatum)
Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
 Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana elegans
• Habitat: Grasslands, rocky regions.
• Where to look: sandy, grassy areas
and near rocky outcrops.
• Food: invertebrates
• Color variation: Males develop
more color during breeding
season. Color determines mating
behaviors.
• Additional Comments. Blue males
are the most aggressive breeders.
Some males mimic female
coloration for successful breeding.
• Relic populations on McGuire Peak
and Antioch Dunes.
 Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana elegans
 Scincidae
• Over 1200 species
• Shiny cycloid scales reinforced with bone.
Smooth rounded rear borders.

• 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.
• Name means: “skink”.
 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.
Orange and gray
 Varigated Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) gilberti cancellosis
 Skilton’s Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) skiltonianus
skiltonianus
 Skilton’s 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.
 Skilton’s Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) skiltonianus skiltonianus
 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
 California Whiptail Lizard
Cnemidophorus (Aspidoscelis) tigris mundus
 California Whiptail Lizard
Cnemidophorus (Aspidoscelis) tigris mundus
Mt. Diablo, Black Diamond Mines

Habitat: Prefers open areas and

sparse chaparral, open forests.
Where to look: On trails and under
shrubs.
Food: invertebrates and lizards
Color variation: Young spotted or
marbled with greenish-blue tail.
Additional Comments. Active at
high temperatures.
 California Whiptail Lizard
Cnemidophorus (Aspidoscelis) tigris mundus
 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”
San Francisco Alligator Lizard
Elegaria coerulea coerulea
San Francisco Alligator Lizard
Elegaria coerulea coerulea
Redwood Regional Park, Tilden Park

Habitat: Forests including redwoods.

Where to look: under rocks and logs.
Food: snails, spiders, insects, ticks.
Color variation: gray, olive or bluish or
greenish; young cross-banded.
Additional Comments. Live-bearing;
Eyes dark.
San Francisco Alligator Lizard
Elegaria coerulea coerulea
 California Alligator Lizard
Elegaria multicariata multicariata
 California Alligator Lizard*
Elegaria multicarinata multicarinata
Mt. Diablo, Redwood Regional
Park, Sunol, King Ranch

Habitat: Chaparral, grasslands, suburbs,

open forests
Where to look: under rocks and logs.
Food: Spiders, scorpions, lizards,
mammals.
Color variation: Brown to red. Young
with dorsal stripe and bright tails.
Additional Comments. Tail semi-
prehensile; longer than body when not
regenerated. Can drop tail when
frightened.
Eyes yellow.
Egg layers.
.
 California Alligator Lizard*
Elegaria multicarinata multicarinata
 Annilellidae
• Small smooth cycloid scales.
• Legless; fossorial.
• Recently classified into several species.
• Small eyes with movable lids
• Lower jaw insert that prevents sand from
entering mouth.
• Shovel-like snout.
• Earless.
• Live bearing
• Named for Ann Alexander
California Legless Lizard*
Anniella pulchra
 California Legless Lizard*
Anniella pulchra
Antioch Dunes

Habitat: Sand soils or loose loams.

Fossorial.
Where to look: Under rocks and logs;
digging near shrubs or fence posts and
sandy hillsides, leaf litter
Food: Invertebrates in leaf litter
including spiders
Color variation: silvery melanistic forms
on coast, belly yellow to gray.
Additional Comments. Live bearing.
California Legless Lizard*
Anniella pulchra
 Key features of Herps
• Range
• Habitat
• Season
• Reproductive strategies
• Variations
• Distinguishing features
• Similar species
• Status