There is only one known land reptile species native to Ireland, the viviparous lizard. It appears to have a widespread distribution across the entire island with coastal, bogland and mountainous areas showing highest numbers of sightings.
Five marine turtle species appear regularly off the west coast but do not come ashore. All are endangered, some critically."Understanding leatherback turtles in the Irish Sea". The pond turtle is introduced.
Subclass: Diapsida
Infraclass: Lepidosauromorpha
Superorder: Lepidosauria
Order: Squamata (lizards, snakes)
Suborder: Lacertilia (lizards) Family: Lacertidae Subfamily: Lacertinae Genus: Zootoca Viviparous lizard, Zootoca vivipara Family: Anguidae Subfamily: Anguinae Genus: Anguis Slowworm, Anguis fragilis (thought to be introduced from Britain in the 1970s, only found in the Burren)
Order: Testudines (turtles)
Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Chelonioidea (sea turtles) Family: Dermochelyidae Genus: Dermochelys Leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea Family: Cheloniidae Genus: Chelonia Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas Genus: Eretmochelys Hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata Genus: Lepidochelys Kemp's ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys kempii Vagrant Genus: Caretta Loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta Superfamily: Testudinoidea (pond turtles) Family: Emydidae Genus: Trachemys Pond slider, Trachemys scripta Introduced McGabhan, D. and Quigley, D.T.G. Minchin, D. 2013 First record of the freshwater turtle Trachemys scripta scripta from the Shannon. Irish Naturalists' Journal 32: 75
References
King, G.L. and Berrow, S.D. (2009) Marine turtles in Irish waters. Special Supplement to the Irish Naturalists' Journal (30 pages)
External links nationalgeographic.com: Snakeless in Ireland: Blame Ice Age, Not St. Patrick Turtles stranded in Ireland "Ireland Red List No.5 Amphibians, Reptiles & Freshwater Fish"