The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is a member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. It is the largest extant species of lizard. As a result of their size,...
The Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the second-longest venomous snake after the King cobra. Despite its reputation as a...
The King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is a highly venomous snake endemic to jungles in Southern and Southeast Asia. The sole member of the genus Ophiophagus, it is distinguishable from other cobras, most noticeably by its size and neck patterns. The...
The Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest living reptile and crocodilian known. It was hunted for its skin throughout its range up to the 1970s and is threatened by illegal killing and habitat loss. It is regarded as dangerous to...
The Water moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus) is a species of venomous pit viper. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth) and is native to the southeastern United States. As an adult, it is large and...
The Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a species of large freshwater turtle. It is noted for its combative disposition when out of the water with its powerful beak-like jaws, and highly mobile head and neck (hence the specific epithet...
The Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world. It is also the largest freshwater species of turtle in North America....
The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a venomous pit viper endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae. As a common species within its range, it may be encountered by humans. Unlike other...
The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two extant species in the genus Alligator, and is probably the largest species within its family...
The mugger (Crocodylus palustris ) is a crocodile of medium to large size with the broadest snout of all the living members of the genus Crocodylus. It lives in the Indian subcontinent as well as other countries in southern Asia. Like most...
The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea ), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 1.8 metres and...
The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is a large crocodilian that lives in freshwater habitats in Africa. There it is present in 26 countries. The Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds...
The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. It is also one of the largest crocodile species. Males can reach lengths of 6.1 m (20 ft 0 in), weighing up to 907 kg...
The Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a North American species of rat snake. Their docile nature, reluctance to bite, moderate adult size, attractive pattern, and comparatively simple care make them commonly kept pet snakes. Though superficially...
The Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) is a heavy slow-moving venomous lizard. It is the largest extant lizard native to North America north of the Mexican border. The name "Gila" refers to the Gila River Basin in the U.S. states of New Mexico and...
The Common European adder (Vipera berus) is a venomous snake that is very widespread and can be found throughout most of central and eastern Europe and as far as East Asia. Known by a host of common names including Common adder and Common viper,...
Gharials (Gavialis gangeticus ) are one of the biggest crocodilians (a group that includes alligators, crocodiles, and caimans) and have the narrowest snout of these different species. Their common name is due to the bulbous nasal snout of adult...
The Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus ) is a species of venomous, sometimes highly venomous, pit viper endemic to eastern North America. This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous Northeastern United States and is second only...
The Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans ) is a subspecies of the Pond slider, a semiaquatic turtle. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States, is also popular as a pet across the rest of the world, and is the most invasive...
The Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is an extremely venomous snake endemic to semi-arid regions of central east Australia. Aboriginal Australians living in those regions named the snake dandarabilla. It was first described by Frederick...
The Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is a non-venomous snake native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world's longest snake and is among the three heaviest snakes. In several countries in its range, it is hunted for its skin, for...
The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is one of the largest species of snakes. This non-venomous snake is native to a large area of Southeast Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Until 2009, it was considered a subspecies of...
The common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis ) is a species of natricine snake, which is indigenous to North America and found widely across the continent. Most common garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a black, brown or green...
The Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is the most widespread native turtle of North America. Fossils show that the painted turtle existed 15 million years ago. In the traditional tales of Algonquian tribes, the colorful turtle played the part of a...
The Milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) is a species of kingsnake. The subspecies have strikingly different appearances, and many of them have their own common names. The Milk snake is not venomous to humans.
The Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is a small lizard native to Southeast Asia. They are named so because they are often seen climbing walls of houses and other buildings in search of insects attracted to porch lights and are immediately...
The Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is a boa species found in South America. It is the heaviest and one of the longest-known extant snake species. Like all boas, it is a non-venomous constrictor.
The Ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus) is a harmless snake found in North America. It is very secretive and is rarely seen during the daytime. It is slightly venomous, but its nonaggressive nature and small, rear-facing fangs pose little threat...
The Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. The common name of this species refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black....
The Galápagos tortoise (Chelonoidis niger) is the largest living species of tortoise. With lifespans in the wild of over 100 years, it is also one of the longest-lived vertebrates. In captivity, these adorable giants can live up to 177 years.
The Ball python (Python regius) is a nonvenomous python species found in sub-Saharan Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons. The name "ball python" refers to the animal's tendency to curl into a ball when stressed or frightened. A...
Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) is a venomous snake found in Asia. The species is named for Patrick Russell, a Scottish herpetologist who first described many of India's snakes. In Bengali, this snake is called Chandroborha since it carries...
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta ), is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 cm (35 in) in carapace length when...
The Indian cobra (Naja naja) is a large highly venomous snake and is a member of the "big four" species that inflict the most snakebites on humans in India. The Indian cobra is revered in Indian mythology and culture and is often seen with snake...
The Grass snake (Natrix natrix) is a Eurasian non-venomous colubrid snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.
The boomslang (Dispholidus typus) is a large, highly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is native to Africa and its common name means "tree snake" in Afrikaans.
The Slow worm1 (Anguis fragilis) is a reptile native to western Eurasia. It is also called a deaf adder, a slowworm, a blindworm, or regionally, a long-cripple and hazelworm. These legless lizards are also sometimes called common slowworms. The...
The Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is a species of highly venomous snake native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It was first described by André Marie Constant Duméril, Gabriel Bibron, and Auguste Duméril in 1854. The Eastern brown...
The Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) is a large varanid lizard native to South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the most common monitor lizards in Asia and is among the largest squamates in the world.
The Western rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) is a non-venomous species of Colubridae found in central North America. Along with other snakes of the eastern United States, like the Eastern indigo snake or the Eastern racer, it is called 'black...
The American five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the seven native species of lizards in Canada.
The African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) is a species of tortoise inhabiting the southern edge of the Sahara desert in Africa. It is the third-largest species of tortoise in the world, the largest mainland species of tortoise, and the...