List of reptiles of Massachusetts

This is a list of reptiles of Massachusetts. It includes all reptiles currently found in the US state of Massachusetts in alphabetical order of scientific name. It does not include species found only in captivity.

Snakes

NameScientific nameOrderFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListNorthern copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix mokasenSnakeViperidaeRare, endangered in the state; found in Norfolk, Berkshire, and Hampden Counties7Black racerColuber constrictorSnakeColubridaeLocally common although declining; statewide except Nantucket7Timber rattlesnakeCrotalus horridusSnakeViperidaeVery rare, endangered in the state; found in Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Norfolk counties7Eastern worm snakeCarphophis ameonus amoenusSnakeColubridaeRare and threatened in the Commonwealth; found only in the Southern Connecticut River Valley in Hampden and Hampshire Counties7Ring-necked snakeDiadophis punctatusSnakeColubridaeCommon and widespread in the Commonwealth; statewide7Eastern hog-nosed snakeHeterodon platirhinosSnakeColubridaeUncommon; spotty distribution, but found in all counties except Berkshire, Nantucket, and Dukes County7Eastern milk snakeLampropeltis triangulumSnakeColubridaeCommon; statewide7Northern water snakeNerodia sipedonSnakeColubridaeCommon; statewide except Dukes County7Smooth green snakeOpheodrys vernalisSnakeColubridaeCommon but declining due to habitat loss; statewide7Black rat snakePantherophis obsoletusSnakeColubridaeVery rare, endangered in the Commonwealth; found only in Southern Worcester County, the Connecticut River Valley and Essex County7DeKay's brown snakeStoreria dekayiSnakeColubridaeCommon; statewide except Martha's Vineyard island and Nantucket7Brahminy blind snakeRamphotyphlops braminusSnakeTyphlopidaeIntroduced; reported to occur only in and around Boston; status unclear7Northern redbelly snakeStoreria occipitomaculata occipitomaculataSnakeColubridaeCommon; statewide except Nantucket7Ribbon snakeThamnophis sauritusSnakeColubridaeCommon but declining; statewide7Common garter snakeThamnophis sirtalisSnakeColubridaeCommon; statewide7

Turtles

NameScientific nameOrderFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListLoggerhead sea turtleCaretta carettaTurtleCheloniidaeVery rare, located in coastal waters of the southeast; one recorded in Essex County in 2008; endangered federally and in the Commonwealth7Green sea turtleChelonia mydasTurtleCheloniidaeVery rare, reported from Dukes, Nantucket, and Cape Cod; listed as threatened in the Commonwealth and endangered federally7Common snapping turtleChelydra serpentinaTurtleChelydridaeCommon; statewide7Painted turtleChrysemys pictaTurtleEmydidaeCommon; statewide7Spotted turtleClemmys guttataTurtleEmydidaeLocally common to uncommon; statewide except Northern Berkshire County and Suffolk County7Leatherback sea turtleDermochelys coriaceaTurtleDermochelyidaeVery rare, coastal southeastern waters; endangered7Blanding's turtleEmydoidea blandingiiTurtleEmydidaeRare, scattered populations in east; threatened in the Commonwealth7Hawksbill sea turtleEretmochelys imbricataTurtleCheloniidaeRare vagrant, recorded in 1909, 1968, and 1989; critically endangered7Wood turtleGlyptemys insculptaTurtleEmydidaeUncommon, found statewide anywhere north and west of Bristol County and Plymouth County; listed as special concern7Bog turtleGlyptemys muhlenbergiiTurtleEmydidaeVery rare, found only in Berkshire County; critically endangered in the commonwealth and federally7Kemp's ridley sea turtleLepidochelys kempiiTurtleCheloniidaeRecorded from Cape Cod, Dukes County, and Nantucket; listed as endangered in the Commonwealth, critically endangered globally7Diamondback terrapinMalaclemys terrapinTurtleEmydidaeUncommon, found in Cape Cod, Plymouth County, and Bristol County; listed as threatened federally and in the Commonwealth7Northern red-bellied cooterPseudemys rubriventrisTurtleEmydidaeRare, found only in Plymouth County; listed as endangered7Eastern musk turtleSternotherus odoratusTurtleKinosternidaeCommon; statewide except Dukes and Nantucket Counties7Eastern box turtleTerrapene carolina carolinaTurtleEmydidaeUncommon, statewide except possibly Nantucket; listed as special concern7Red-eared sliderTrachemys scripta elegansTurtleEmydidaeIntroduced; may occur statewide, most likely common7

Lizards

NameScientific nameOrderFamilyRange and statusIUCN Red ListCommon five-lined skinkPlestidon fasciatusLizardScincidaeExtirpated; formerly Western and Southern Massachusetts (Berkshire and Bristol Counties), but now absent from the Commonwealth due to habitat loss7Italian wall lizardPodarcis siculusLizardLacertidaeIntroduced; recorded only in Suffolk County, unconfirmed reports in Middlesex County.

References Massachusetts Reptiles and Amphibians List J.E. Cardoza and P.G. Mirick, Massachusetts Div. of Fisheries and Wildlife Red-eared Slider Fact Sheet-USGS