Photos of Reptiles and Amphibians from Baja California
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This is a list of the Reptiles and Amphibians from Baja California for which I have photographs. It is not a complete list of herps found in Baja California.
The names used here mostly follow those used in this book: Grismer, L. Lee. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Including its Pacific Islands and the Islands in the Sea of Cortes. The University of California Press, 2002, with a few changes to species found on the SSAR List.
Click on a name link to see more photos.
| See This List With Pictures of the Animals |
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Original Description |
| Frogs | Duméril, 1806 (as Anoures) | |
| Anaxyrus | North American Toads | Tschudi, 1845 |
| Anaxyrus boreas | Western Toad | |
| Anaxyrus boreas halophilus | California Toad | (Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Anaxyrus californicus | Arroyo Toad | (Camp, 1915) |
| Anaxyrus punctatus (=Bufo punctatus) |
Red-spotted Toad | (Baird and Girard, 1852) |
| Lithobates | American Water Frogs | Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Lithobates catesbeianus (=Rana catesbeiana) (Alien Species) |
American Bullfrog | (Shaw, 1802) |
| Pseudacris | Chorus Frogs | Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Pseudacris cadaverina | California Treefrog | (Cope, 1866) |
| Pseudacris hypochondriaca | Baja California Treefrog | (Hallowell, 1854) |
| Rana | Brown Frogs | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Rana draytonii | California Red-legged Frog | Baird and Girard, 1852 |
| Scaphiopus | North American Spadefoots | Holbrook, 1836 |
| Scaphiopus couchii | Couch's Spadefoot | Baird, 1854 |
| Spea | Western Spadefoots | Cope, 1866 |
| Spea hammondii | Western Spadefoot | (Baird, 1859 “1857”) |
| Salamanders | Duméril, 1806 (as Anoures) | |
| Batrachoseps | Slender Salamanders | Bonaparte, 1841 |
| Batrachoseps major | Southern California Slender Salamander | Camp, 1915 |
| Batrachoseps major major | Garden Slender Salamander | Camp, 1915 |
| Lizards | Oppel, 1811 | |
| Anniella | North American Legless Lizards | Gray, 1852 |
| Anniella geronimensis |
Baja California Legless Lizard | Shaw, 1940 |
| Aspidoscelis (=Cnemidophorus) | Whiptails | Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Aspidoscelis carmenensis | Isla Carmen Whiptail | (Dickerson, 1919) |
| Aspidoscelis celeripes | Isla San José Western Whiptail | Dickerson, 1919 |
| Aspidoscelis danheimae | Isla San José Whiptail | (Burt, 1929) |
| Aspidoscelis hyperythra | Orange-throated Whiptail | (Cope, 1863) |
| Aspidoscelis hyperythra beldingi | Belding's Orange-throated Whiptail | (Stejneger, 1894) |
| Aspidoscelis hyperythra hyperythra | Cape Orange-throated Whiptail | (Cope, 1863) |
| Aspidoscelis labialis | Baja California Whiptail | (Stejneger, 1890) |
| Aspidoscelis maxima | Cape Giant Whiptail | (Cope , 1864) |
| Aspidoscelis tigris | Tiger Whiptail | (Baird and Girard, 1852) |
| Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri | San Diegan Tiger Whiptail | (Van Denburgh, 1894) |
| Callisaurus | Zebra-tailed Lizards | Blainville, 1835 |
| Callisaurus draconiodes | Zebra-tailed Lizard | Blainville, 1835 |
| Callisaurus draconoides carmenensis |
Carmen Island Zebra-tailed Lizard | Dickerson, 1919 |
| Callisaurus draconoides crinitus |
Viscaino Zebra-tailed Lizard | Cope, 1896 |
| Callisaurus draconoides draconoides | Zebra-tailed Lizard | Blainville, 1835 |
| Coleonyx | Banded Geckos | Gray, 1845 |
| Coleonyx switaki | Switak’s Banded Gecko | (Murphy, 1974) |
| Coleonyx switaki switaki | Peninsula Banded Gecko | (Murphy, 1974) |
| Coleonyx variegatus | Western Banded Gecko | (Baird, 1859 “1858”) |
| Coleonyx variegatus abbotti |
San Diego Banded Gecko | Klauber, 1945 |
| Coleonyx variegatus peninsularis | San Lucan Banded Gecko | Klauber, 1945 |
| Coleonyx variegatus variegatus | Desert Banded Gecko | (Baird, 1859) |
| Crotaphytus | Collared Lizards | Holbrook, 1842 |
| Crotaphytus vestigium | Baja California Collared Lizard | Smith and Tanner, 1972 |
| Ctenosaura | Spiny-tailed Iguanas | Wiegmann, 1828 |
| Ctenosaura hemilopha |
Cape Spiny-tailed Iguana | Cope, 1863 |
| Dipsosaurus | Desert Iguanas | Hallowell, 1854 |
| Dipsosaurus dorsalis | Desert Iguana | (Baird and Girard, 1852) |
| Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis |
Northern Desert Iguana | (Baird and Girard, 1852) |
| Dipsosaurus dorsalis lucasensis |
San Lucan Desert Iguana | Van Denburgh, 1920 |
| Elgaria | Western Alligator Lizards | Gray, 1838 |
| Elgaria multicarinata | Southern Alligator Lizard | (Blainville, 1835) |
| Elgaria multicarinata webbii | Woodland Alligator Lizard | (Baird, 1859 “1858”) |
| Elgaria paucicarinata | San Lucan Alligator Lizard | Fitch, 1934 |
| Hemidactylus | House Geckos | Gray, 1825 |
| Hemidactylus frenatus | Common House Gecko | Duméril and Bibron, 1836 |
| Petrosaurus | Banded Rock Lizards | Boulenger, 1885 |
| Petrosaurus mearnsi | Mearns's Rock Lizard | (Stejneger, 1894) |
| Petrosaurus mearnsi mearnsi | Mearns's Rock Lizard |
(Stejneger, 1894) |
| Petrosaurus repens | Central Baja California Banded Rock Lizard | (Stejneger, 1894) |
| Petrosaurus thallassinus | San Lucan Banded Rock Lizard | (Cope, 1863) |
| Phrynosoma | Horned Lizards | Wiegmann, 1828 |
| Phrynosoma cerroense | Cedros Island Horned Lizard | Leache et al. 2009 |
| Phrynosoma coronatum |
Cape Horned Lizard (Coast Horned Lizard) | Blainville, 1835 |
| Phrynosoma platyrhinos | Desert Horned Lizard | Girard, 1852 |
| Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum | Southern Desert Horned Lizard | (Cope, 1896) |
| Phyllodactylus | Leaf-toed Geckos | Gray, 1828 |
| Phyllodactylus nocticolus |
Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko | Dixon, 1964 |
| Phyllodactylus unctus | San Lucan Leaf-toed Gecko | Cope, 1864 |
| Phyllodactylus xanti | Cape Leaf-toed Gecko | Cope, 1863 |
| Plestiodon | Toothy Skinks | Duméril and Bibron, 1839 |
| Plestiodon skiltonianus | Western Skink | Baird and Girard, 1852 |
| Plestiodon skiltonianus interparietalis | Coronado Skink | (Tanner, 1958 “1957”) |
| Sauromalus | Chuckwallas | Duméril, 1856 |
| Sauromalus ater | Common Chuckwalla | Duméril, 1856 |
| Sauromalus hispidus |
Spiny Chuckwalla (Angel Island Chuckwalla) | Stejnegeri, 1891 |
| Sauromalus slevini |
Slevin's Chuckwalla | Van Denburgh, 1922 |
| Sauromalus varius | San Esteban Chuckwalla (San Esteban Island Chuckwalla) (Isla Esteban Chuckwalla) |
Dickerson, 1919 |
| Sceloporus | Spiny Lizards | Wiegmann, 1828 |
| Sceloporus angustus |
Isla Santa Cruz Spiny Lizard | Dickerson, 1919 |
| Sceloporus graciosus | Common Sagebrush Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 |
| Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus | Southern Sagebrush Lizard | Cope, 1896 |
| Sceloporus hunsakeri |
Hunsaker's Spiny Lizard | Hall & Smith, 1979 |
| Sceloporus licki | Cape Spiny Lizard | Van Denburgh, 1895 |
| Sceloporus magister | Desert Spiny Lizard | Hallowell, 1854 |
| Sceloporus orcutti | Granite Spiny Lizard | Stejneger, 1893 |
| Sceloporus zosteromus | Baja California Spiny Lizard | Cope, 1863 |
| Uma | Fringe-toed Lizards | 1859 “1858” |
| Uma notata | Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard | Baird, 1859 “1858” |
| Urosaurus | Tree and Brush Lizards | Hallowell, 1854 |
| Urosaurus lahtelai | Cataviña Brush Lizard | Rau & Loomis, 1977 |
| Urosaurus microscutatus (Urosaurus nigricaudus) |
Small-scaled Lizard (Black-tailed Brush Lizard, Baja California Brush Lizard) |
(Cope, 1864) |
| Uta | Side-blotched Lizards | Baird and Girard in Stansbury 1852 |
| Uta stansburiana |
Side-blotched Lizard | Baird and Girard, 1852 |
| Xantusia | NIght Lizards | Baird, 1859 “1858” |
| Xantusia henshawi | Granite Night Lizard | Stejneger, 1893 |
| Xantusia wigginsi | Wiggins' Night Lizard | Savage, 1952 |
| Snakes | Oppel, 1811 | |
| Arizona | Glossy Snakes | Kennicott, in Baird, 1859 |
| Arizona elegans | Glossy Snake | Kennicott, in Baird, 1859 |
| Arizona elegans eburnata | Desert Glossy Snake | Klauber, 1946 |
| Bogertophis | Desert Ratsnakes | Dowling and Price, 1988 |
| Bogertophis rosaliae |
Baja California Rat Snake | (Mocquard, 1899) |
| Chilomeniscus | Sandsnakes | Cope, 1860 |
| Chilomeniscus stramineus |
Variable Sand Snake | Cope, 1860 |
| Chionactis | Shovel-nosed Snakes | Cope, 1860 |
| Chionactis annulata | Resplendent Desert Shovel-nosed Snake | (Baird, 1859 “1858”) |
| Chionactis annulata annulata | Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake | (Baird, 1859 “1858”) |
| Crotalus | Rattlesnakes | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Crotalus angelensis |
Isla Angel de la Guarda Rattlesnake | Klauber, 1963 |
| Crotalus catalinensis |
Isla Santa Catalina Rattlesnake | Cliff, 1954 |
| Crotalus cerastes | Sidewinder | Hallowell, 1854 |
| Crotalus cerastes laterorepens | Colorado Desert Sidewinder | Klauber, 1944 |
| Crotalus enyo | Baja California Rattlesnake | Cope, 1861 |
| Crotalus mitchellii | Speckled Rattlesnake | (Cope, 1861) |
| Crotalus mitchellii mitchellii | San Lucan Speckled Rattlesnake | (Cope, 1861) |
| Crotalus oreganus | Western Rattlesnake | Holbrook, 1840 |
| Crotalus oreganus helleri | Southern Pacific Rattlesnake | Meek, 1905 |
| Crotalus pyrrhus | Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake | (Cope, 1867 “1866”) |
| Crotalus ruber | Red Diamond Rattlesnake | Cope, 1892 |
| Hypsiglena | North American Nightsnakes | Cope, 1860 |
| Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha | Coast Nightsnake | Cope, 1860 |
| Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi | San Diego Nightsnake | Tanner, 1944 |
| Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha ochrorhyncha | Cape Nightsnake | Cope, 1860 |
| Hypsiglena slevini | Baja California Nightsnake | Tanner, 1943 |
| Lampropeltis | Kingsnakes | Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Lampropeltis californiae |
California Kingsnake | (Blainville, 1835) |
| Lampropeltis multifasciata | Coast Mountain Kingsnake | Bocourt (1882) |
| Lichanura | Rosy Boas | Cope, 1861 |
| Lichanura orcutti | Rosy Boa | Stejneger, 1889 |
| Lichanura trivirgata |
Three-lined Boa Mexican Rosy Boa Baja Rosy Boa |
(Cope, 1861) |
| Masticophis (Coluber) | Coachwhips / Whipsnakes | Baird & Girard, 1853 |
| Masticophis flagellum | Coachwhip | Shaw, 1802 |
| Masticophis flagellum piceus |
Red Coachwhip | (Cope, 1892) |
| Masticophis fuliginosus |
Baja California Coachwhip | (Cope, 1895) |
| Masticophis lateralis | Striped Racer | (Hallowell, 1853) |
| Masticophis lateralis lateralis |
California Striped Racer | (Hallowell, 1853) |
| Phyllorynchus | Leaf-nosed Snakes | Stejneger, 1890 |
| Phyllorhynchus decurtatus | Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake | (Cope, 1868) |
| Pituophis | Bullsnakes, Pinesnakes, and Gophersnakes |
Holbrook, 1842 |
| Pituophis catenifer | Gophersnake | (Blainville, 1835) |
| Pituophis catenifer annectens | San Diego Gophersnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Pituophis vertebralis | Baja California Gophersnake | (Blainville, 1835) |
| Pituophis vertebralis bimaris | Baja California Gophersnake | (Klauber, 1946) |
| Pituophis vertebralis vertebralis | Cape Gophersnake | Hirschkorn & Skubowius, 2011 |
| Rena | Threadsnakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Rena boettgeri | (Cape) Threadsnake | (Werner 1899) |
| Rena humilis | Western Threadsnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) |
| Rena humilis cahuilae | Desert Threadsnake | Klauber, 1931 |
| Salvadora | Patch-nosed Snakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Salvadora hexalepis | Western Patch-nosed Snake | (Cope, 1866) |
| Salvadora hexalepis klauberi | Baja California Patch-nosed Snake | Bogert, 1945 |
| Sonora | North American Groundsnakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Sonora semiannulata | Western Groundsnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Sonora semiannulata semiannulata | Variable Groundsnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 |
| Thamnophis | North American Gartersnakes | Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Thamnophis hammondii | Two-striped Gartersnake | (Kennicott, 1860 ) |
| Thamnophis marcianus | Checkered Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) |
| Thamnophis marcianus marcianus | Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) |
| Thamnophis valida | West Coast Gartersnake | (Kennicott, 1860) |
| Thamnophis valida celaeno |
West Coast Gartersnake (Cape Gartersnake) |
(Cope, 1860) |
| Trimorphodon | Lyresnakes | Cope, 1861 |
| Trimorphodon lyrophanes | California Lyresnake | (Cope, 1860) |
| Turtles | Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Actinemys | Western Pond Turtles | Agassiz, 1857 |
| Actinemys pallida | Southwestern Pond Turtle | (Seeliger 1945) |
| Trachemys | Sliders | Agassiz, 1857 |
| Trachemys nebulosa | Baja California Slider | (Van Denburgh, 1895) |
| Chelonia | Green Sea Turtles | Brongniart, 1800 |
| Chelonia mydas (aka Chelonia agassizii) |
Green Seaturtle | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Amphisbaenidae |
Worm Lizards | |
| Bipedidae | Two-legged Worm Lizards | Taylor, 1951 |
| Bipes | Two-legged Worm Lizard | Latreille, 1801 |
| Bipes biporus | Five-toed Worm Lizard | Cope, 1894 |