Reptile List

Canebrake rattlesnake

National Park Service

 

Reptiles are a significant component of the native biodiversity in virtually every natural terrestrial and freshwater habitat in the southeastern United States. Despite being often overlooked, reptiles are vital components of southeastern ecosystems. They can serve important roles as both predators and prey, forming critical trophic links in many ecosystems, and can serve as indicators of environmental integrity. Comprehensive accounts of regional species composition and richness are fundamental to initiating meaningful monitoring or research programs applicable to conservation issues.

Up to 60 species of reptiles could possibly occur on the Outer Banks. According to investigations of reptile occurrences on the Outer Banks (Tuberville et al. 2005, Gaul and Mitchell 2007), 59 species of reptiles have been documented in Dare County, North Carolina since 1588. Of these, 32 species of reptiles have been documented at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

 

Observed In Park	Scientific Name	Common Name
Alligators
Yes	Alligator mississippiensis	American alligator
Turtles
Yes	Chelydra serpentina	Common snapping turtle
	Chrysemys picta	Eastern painted turtle
Yes	Clemmys guttata	Spotted turtle
	Deirochelys reticularia	Eastern chicken turtle
Yes	Kinosternon subrubrum	Eastern mud turtle
Yes	Malaclemys terrapin	Diamondback terrapin
	Pseudemys concinna	Eastern river cooter
	Pseudemys floridana	Florida cooter
Yes	Pseudemys rubriventris	Red-bellied turtle
	Sternotherus odoratus	Common musk turtle
Yes	Terrapene carolina	Eastern box turtle
Yes	Trachemys scripta	Yellow-bellied slider
Sea Turtles
Yes	Caretta caretta	Loggerhead sea turtle
Yes	Chelonia mydas	Green sea turtle
Yes	Dermochelys coriacea	Leatherback sea turtle
Yes	Lepidochelys kempii	Kemp's ridley
Lizards
Yes	Anolis carolinensis	Green anole
Yes	Cnemidophorus sexlineatus	Six-lined racerunner
	Eumeces fasciatus	Five-lined skink
Yes	Eumeces inexpectatus	Southeastern five-lined skink
Yes	Eumeces laticeps	Broadhead skink
	Ophisaurus attenuatus	Slender glass lizard
	Ophisaurus mimicus	Mimic glass lizard
Yes	Ophisaurus ventralis	Eastern glass lizard
	Sceloporus undulatus	Fence lizard
Yes	Scincella lateralis	Ground skink
Snakes
	Agkistrodon contortrix	Copperhead
Yes	Agkistrodon piscivorus	Cottonmouth
	Carphophis amoenus	Worm snake
	Cemophora coccinea	Scarlet snake
Yes	Coluber constrictor	Black racer
Yes	Crotalus horridus	Canebrake rattlesnake
Yes	Diadophis punctatus	Ringneck snake
Yes	Elaphe guttata	Corn snake
	Elaphe obsoleta	Rat snake
	Farancia abacura	Mud snake
Yes	Farancia erytrogramma	Rainbow snake
Yes	Heterodon platirhinos	Eastern hognose snake
	Heterodon simus	Southern hognose snake
	Lampropeltis calligaster	Mole kingsnake
	Lampropeltis getula	Eastern kingsnake
Yes	Lampropeltis triangulum	Scarlet kingsnake or milksnake
	Masticophis flagellum	Coachwhip
	Nerodia erythrogaster	Plainbelly water snake
Yes	Nerodia fasciata	Banded water snake
Yes	Nerodia sipedon	Northern banded water snake
Yes	Nerodia taxispilota	Brown water snake
Yes	Opheodrys aestivus	Rough green snake
	Regina rigida	Glossy crayfish snake
	Rhadinaea flavilata	Pine woods snake
	Seminatrix pygaea	Black swamp snake
	Sistrurus miliarius	Pigmy rattlesnake
Yes	Storeria dekayi	Brown snake
	Storeria occipitomaculata	Redbelly snake
	Tantilla coronata	Southeastern crowned snake
Yes	Thamnophis sauritus	Ribbon snake
	Thamnophis sirtalis	Garter snake
	Virginia striatula	Rough earth snake

 

References

• Gaul, R.W. and J.C. Mitchell. 2007. The herpetofauna of Dare County, North Carolina: History, natural history, and biogeography. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science. 123(2): 65-109.
• Tuberville, T.D., J.D. Willson, M.E. Dorcas, and J.W. Gibbons. 2005. Herpetofaunal species richness of Southeastern National Parks. Southeastern Naturalist. 4(3): 537-569.

 

Turtles in and around the pond near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

National Park Service