Reptiles and Amphibians of the Jornada

Reptiles and amphibians present on the Jornada del Muerto including the Dona Ana Mountains.

ORDER SQUAMATA (snakes & lizards)  
   
FAMILY LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE  
Western Blind Snake Leptotyphlops humilis
Texas Blind Snake Leptotyphlops dulcis
   
FAMILY COLUBRIDAE  
Western Hognose Snake Heterodon nasicus
Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum
Desert Striped Whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus
Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake Salvadora hexalepis
Trans-Pecos Rat Snake Bogertophis subocularis
Glossy Snake Arizona elegans
Gopher Snake (Bullsnake) Pituophis melanoleucus
Desert Kingsnake (Sonora Kingsnake) Lampropeltis getula
Long-nosed Snake Rhinocheilus lecontei
Western Hook-nosed Snake Gyalopion canum
Ground Snake Sonora semiannulata
Plains Black-headed Snake Tantilla nigriceps
Lyre Snake Trimorphodon biscutatus
Night Snake Hypsiglena torquata
   
FAMILY VIPERIDAE (poisonous)  
Massasauga Sistrurus catenatus
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox
Rock Rattlesnake Crotalus lepidus
Black-tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossus
Prairie (Western) Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis
   
FAMILY IGUANIDAE  
Collared Lizard Crotaphytus collaris
Leopard Lizard Gambelia wislizenii
Greater Earless Lizard Cophosaurus texanus
Lesser Earless Lizard Holbrookia maculata
Texas Horned Lizard Phrynosoma cornutum
Roundtail Horned Lizard Phrynosoma modestum
Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister
Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus
Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus
Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana
   
FAMILY SCINCIDAE  
Great Plains Skink Eumeces obsoletus
   
FAMILY TEIIDAE  
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail Cnemidophorus exanguis
Little Striped Whiptail Cnemidophorus inornatus
New Mexico Whiptail Cnemidophorus neomexicanus
Checkered Whiptail Cnemidophorus grahmii
  (formerly C. tesselatus)
Western Whiptail Cnemidophorus tigris
Desert Grassland Whiptail Cnemidophorus uniparens
   
   
ORDER TESTUDINATA or CHELONIA (turtles)  
   
FAMILY TESTUDINIDAE (EMYDIDAE)  
Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornata
   
ORDER ANURA (frogs & toads)  
   
FAMILY BUFONIDAE  
Great Plains Toad Bufo cognatus
Green Toad Bufo debilis
Red-spotted Toad Bufo punctatus
Woodhouse's Toad Bufo woodhousei
   
FAMILY PELOBATIDAE  
Couch's Spadefoot Scaphiopus couchii
Plains Spadefoot Spea bombifrons
New Mexico Spadefoot Spea multiplicata
   
ORDER CAUDATA (salamanders)  
   
FAMILY AMBYSTOMATIDAE  
Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum

Range verification provided by Paul Hyder (NMSU) and supplemented by Dona Ana County distribution maps in: Williamson, M.A., P.W. Hyder, J.S. Applegarth. 1994. Snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, toads, & salamanders of New Mexico. Sunstone Press, Santa Fe. NM. 176 p.

7/13/2003 [entry by John Anderson]
Cnemidophorus tesselatus changed to C. grahmii as per David Lightfoot with reference to Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press.