Reptiles and Amphibians of the Lower Rio Grande Valley

A CHECKLIST OF THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS (HERPETOFAUNA) OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS

(CAMERON, HIDALGO, STARR, and WILLACY COUNTIES)

May, 2012

Created by David T. Dauphin http://www.thedauphins.net

This checklist is based on records found in Werler and Dixon. 2000. Texas Snakes-Identification, Distribution, and Natural History. Austin, TX. 437pp. ISBN 0-292-79130-5, and on records found in Bartlett and Bartlett. 1999. A Field Guide to Texas Reptiles and Amphibians. 1999. Houston, TX. 331pp. ISBN 0-87719-337-1, and from Zaidan. 2008. Reptiles and Amphibians of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Edinburg, TX.

AMPHIBIANS (CLASS AMPHIBIA) TOADS, FROGS, and TREEFROGS (ORDER ANURA) (21 SPECIES)

Toads Bufonidae

Eastern Green Toad – Bufo debilis insidior C, H, S
Giant Toad – Bufo marinus C, H, S
Red-spotted Toad – Bufo punctatus S
Texas Toad – Bufo speciosus C, H, S, W
Coastal Plains Toad – Bufo nebulifer C, H, S, W
Woodhouse’s Toad – Bufo w. woodhousii C, H, W

Cricket Frogs, Treefrogs, and Chorus Frogs Hylidae

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog – Acris crepitans blanchardii C, H, W
Green Treefrog – Hyla cinera C, H, S
Mexican Treefrog – Smilisca baudinii C, H
Spotted Chorus Frog – Pseudacris clarkii C, H, S
Strecker’s Chorus Frog – Pseudacris s. streckeri W

Tropical Frogs Leptodactylidae

Rio Grande Chirping Frog – Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides campi C, H
White-lipped Frog – Leptodactylus labialis C, H, S

Narrowmouth Toads and Sheep Frogs Microhylidae

Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad – Gastrophryne olivacea C, H, S, W
Sheep Frog – Hypopachus variolosus C, H, S, W

Spadefoots Pelobatidae

Couch’s Spadefoot – Scaphiopus couchii C, H, S, W
Hurter’s Spadefoot – Scaphiopus holbrookii hurteri C, H, S, W
Plains Spadefoot – Spea bombifrons H, S, W

True Frogs Ranidae

Rio Grande Leopard Frog – Rana berlandieri C, H, S. W
Bullfrog – Rana catesbeiana C, H, S, W

Mexican Burrowning Toad Rhinophrynidae

Mexican Burrowing Toad – Rhinophrynus dorsalis S

SALAMANDERS, NEWTS, and SIRENS (ORDER CAUDATA) (3 SPECIES)

Mole Salamanders Ambystomatidae

Barred Tiger Salamander – Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium C, H, S, W

Newts Salamandridae

Black-spotted Newt – Notophthalmus m. meridionalis C, H, S, W

Sirens Sirenidae

Rio Grande Lesser Siren – Siren intermedia texana C, H, S

REPTILES (CLASS REPTILIA) CROCODILIANS (ORDER CROCODYLIA) (1 SPECIES)

Alligators and Caimans Alligatoridae

American Alligator – Alligator mississippiensis H, C

LIZARDS AND SNAKES (ORDER SQUAMATA) LIZARDS (SUB-ORDER LACERTILIA) (23 SPECIES)

Alligator and Glass Lizards Anguidae

Western Slender Glass Lizard – Ophisaurus a. attenuatus C, H

Eyelidded Geckos Eublepharidae

Texas Banded Gecko – Coleonyx brevis C, H, S

Geckos Gekkonidae

Mediterrranean Gecko – Hemidactylus turcicus C, H, S, W

Collared and Leopard Lizards Crotaphytidae

Reticulated Collared Lizard – Crotaphytus reticulatus H, S

Iquanas Iguanidae

Mexican Spiny-tailed Iguana – Ctenosaura pectinata C

Earless, Horned, Spiny Lizards, and Relatives Phrynosomatidae

Texas Greater Earless Lizard – Cophosaurus t. texanus H, S
Spot-tailed Earless Lizard – Holbrookia lacerate subcaudalis S
Keeled Earless Lizard – Holbrookia p. propinqua C, H, S, W
Texas Horned Lizard – Phrynosoma cornutum C, H, S, W
Mesquite Lizard – Sceloporus grammicus microlepidotus C, H, S
Texas Spiny Lizard – Sceloporus olivaceus C, H, S, W
Blue Spiny Lizard – Sceloporus serrifer cyanogenys H, S
Southern Prairie Lizard – Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus C, H, S
Rose-bellied Lizard – Sceloporus v. variabilis C, H, S, W
Eastern Tree Lizard – Urosaurus o. ornatus C, S

Anoles Polychrotidae

Green Anole – Anolis c. carolinensis C, H, S, W
Brown Anole – Anolis sagrei C, H

Skinks Scincidae

Great Plains Skink – Eumeces obsoletus C, H, S, W
Four-lined Skink – Eumeces t. tetragrammus H, S
Ground Skink – Scincella lateralis C, H, S, W

Whiptails and Racerunners Teiidae

Texas Spotted Whiptail – Cnemidophorus gularis gularis C, H, S, W
Laredo Striped Whiptail – Cnemidophorus laredoensis C, H, S
Six-lined Racerunner – Cnemidophorus s. sexlineatus C

SNAKES (SUB-ORDER SERPENTES) (34 Species and 1 Sub-species)

Slender Blind Snakes Leptotyphlopidae

Texas Blind Snake – Leptotyphlops d. dulcis C, H, S

Blind Snakes Typhlopidae

Brahminy Blind Snake - Ramphotyphlops braminus H, W

Colubrids Colubridae

Texas Glossy Snake – Arizona elegans arenicola H, S, W
Mexican Racer – Coluber constrictor oaxaca C, H
Black-striped Snake – Coniophanes i. imperialis C, H, W
Texas Indigo Snake – Drymarchon corais erebennus C, H, S, W
Speckled Racer – Drymobius m. margaritiferus C, H
Great Plains Rat Snake – Elaphe guttata emoryi C, H, S, W
Texas Rat Snake – Elaphe obsolete lindheimeri C, H, S, W
Mexican Hook-nosed Snake – Facimia streckeri C, H, S, W
Mexican Hog-nosed Snake – Heterodon nasicus kennerly C, H, S
Texas Night Snake – Hypsiglena torquata jani H, S, W
Prairie King Snake – Lampropeltis c. calligaster H, S
Desert King Snake – Lampropeltis getula splendida S
Mexican Milk Snake – Lampropeltis triangulum annulata C, H, S, W
Northern Cat-eyed Snake – Leptodeira s. septentrionalis C, H, S, W
Western Coachwhip – Masticophis flagellum testaceus C, H, S, W
Schott’s Whipsnake – Masticophis s. schotti H, S, W
Ruthven’s Whipsnake – Masticophis schotti ruthveni C, W
Blotched Water Snake – Nerodia erythrogaster transversa C, H, W
Florida Water Snake – Nerodia fasciata pictiventris C
Diamond-backed Water Snake – Nerodia r. rhombifer C, H, S, W
Rough Green Snake – Opheodrys aestivus C, H
Bull Snake – Pituophis catenifer sayi C, H, S, W
Texas Long-nosed Snake – Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellates C, H, S
Texas Patch-nosed Snake – Salvadora grahamiae lineate C, H, S, W
Ground Snake – Sonora semiannulata taylori C, H, S
Texas Brown Snake – Storeria dekayi texana C, H, S
Flathead Snake – Tantilla gracilis H, W
Plains Blackhead Snake – Tantilla nigriceps C, H, S
Checkered Garter Snake – Thamnophis m. marcianus C, H, S, W
Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake – Thamnophis proximus orarius C, H, S, W

Coral Snakes and Their Allies Elapidae

Texas Coral Snake – Micrurus fulvius tener C, H, S, W

Vipers Viperidae

Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake – Crotalus atrox C, H, S, W
Desert Massasauga – Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi C, H, W

TURTLES AND TORTOISES (ORDER TESTUDINES) (11 SPECIES)

Typical Sea Turtles Cheloniidae

Loggerhead Turtle – Caretta caretta C, W
Green Turtle – Chelonia mydas C
Atlantic Hawksbill Turtle – Eretmochelys i. imbricate C, W
Atlantic Ridley Turtle – Lepidochelys kempii C, W

Leatherback Sea Turtles Dermochelyidae

Leatherback Turtle – Dernochelys coriacea C

Basking and Box Turtles Emydidae

Rio Grande River Cooter – Pseudemys gorzugi C, H
Ornate Box Turtle – Terrapene o. ornata C, H, S, W
Red-eared Slider – Trachemys scripta elegans C, H, S, W

Mud and Musk Turtles Kinosternidae

Yellow Mud Turtle – Kinosternon f. flavescens C, H, S, W

Tortoises Testudinidae

Texas Tortoise – Gopherus berlandieri C, H, S, W

Softshell Turtles Trionychidae

Texas Spiny Softshell Turtle – Trionyx spiniferus emoryi C, H, S, W