Reptiles

The Western diamondback rattlesnake calls the dunes and grasslands of Padre Island National Seashore home.

Photo by Kyle Christensen

The following reptiles have been documented at Padre Island National Seashore. The common and scientific names have been given for each.

Snakes
Texas Glossy Snake - Arizona elegans arenicola
Texas Scarlet Snake – Cemophora coccinea lineri
Mexican Racer - Coluber constrictor oaxaca
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake - Crotalus atrox
Great Plains Rat Snake - Elaphe emoryi
Eastern Hognose Snake - Heterodon platyrhinos
Mexican Milk Snake - Lampropeltis triangulum annulata
Western Coachwhip - Masticophis flagellum testaceus
Diamondback Water Snake - Nerodia rhombifera
Desert Massasauga - Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi
Flat Head Snake - Tantilla gracilis
Checkered Garter Snake - Thamnophis marcianus
Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake - Thamnophis proximus orarius
Lined Snake – Tropidoclonion lineatum

 

The Western slender glass lizard is a legless lizard that can sometimes be seen during the day foraging in the dunes and in animal burrows.

Photo by Kyle Christensen

Lizards

Keeled Earless Lizard -Holbrookia propinqua

Western Slender Glass Lizard -Ophisaurus attenuatus

Six-lined Racerunner -Cnemidophorus sexlineatus

Great Plains Skink -Eumeces obsoletus

Texas Spotted Whiptail -Cnemidophorus gularis

Spot-tailed Earless Lizard -Holbrookia laceretus

Mediterranean Gecko - Hemidactylus turcicus

Green Anole - Anolis carolinensis

Ground Skink - Scincella lateralis

Texas Horned Lizard -Phrynosoma cornutum

Rosebelly Lizard -Sceloporus variabilis marmoratus

Texas Spiny Lizard -Sceloprus olivaceus

 

Rehabilitated male Kemp's ridley sea turtle being released at Malaquite Beach.

NPS Photo

Sea Turtles

Leatherback sea turtle - Dermochelys coriacea

Green sea turtle - Chelonia mydas

Kemp's ridley sea turtle - Lepidochelys kempii

Hawksbill sea turtle - Eretmochelys imbricata

Loggerhead sea turtle - Caretta caretta

 

Red-eared slider

NPS Photo

Terrestrial Turtles

Red-eared Slider - Trachemys scripta elegans

Yellow Mud Turtle - Kinosternon flavescens

Texas Tortoise - Gopherus berlandieri

Common Snapping Turtle - Chelydra serpentina

Ornate Box Turtle - Terrapene ornata

Texas Diamondback Terrapin - Malaclemys terrapin littoralis