Amphibians and Reptiles of Belize

Amphibians and Reptiles of Belize Blue Creek South Water Caye

Animalia Kingdom: Chordata Phylum: Reptilia Amphibia Class: Order: Squamata Crocodylia Anura Testudines Snakes and Lizards Turtles Crocodyles Frogs

Reptiles • Scales • Ectothermic • Amnionic Egg • Snakes Lack Ears and Eyelids • Some Lizards (Geckos) Lack Eyelids • Turtles Lack Teeth • Crocodiles Closest Living Relatives are Birds

http://www.inbio.ac.cr/bims/ubi/reptiles/ubiespejo/ubiid=3960&-find.htmlhttp://www.inbio.ac.cr/bims/ubi/reptiles/ubiespejo/ubiid=3960&-find.html A slender, diurnal snake that is very active. Slender, large round eyes. Black and yellow. Common Name: Neotropical Rat Snake Scientific Name:Spilotes pullatus Family: Colubridae

eco.ib.usp.br/.../imagens/ Bothrops%20asper%2002.JPG Common Name: Terciopelo, Fer-de-lance Scientific Name:Bothrops asper (atrox) Family: Viperidae A large, defensive snake that is highly venomous. Large, triangular head, dark stripe behind eye.

http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/herps/boa/boa2.html A large, heavy bodied snake that kills it prey by constricting. Found in forests where it is both terrestrial and arboreal. Chain-like pattern on back. Tan to dark brown. Common Name: Red-tailed Boa Constrictor Scientific Name:Boa constrictor Family: Boidae

Common Name: C.A. Indigo Snake Scientific Name:Drymarchon corais Family: Colubridae A medium bodied diurnal snake that will flee when approached, but will bite if provoked Lines from eye to jaw, brown with black tail.

A heavy bodied, fast lizard that is active during hot days. Has a chevron pattern down its back. Common Name: Lundell’s Spiny Lizard Scientific Name:Sceloporus lundellFamily: Phrynosomatidae

Common Name: Silky Anole (female) Scientific Name:Norops sericeusFamily: Polychrotidae A slender, diurnal lizard that prefers disturbed habitat. Has a blue-spotted dewlap

Common Name: Brown Anole Scientific Name:Norops sagrei Family: Polychrotidae A slender, diurnal lizard that prefers a disturbed habitat. It has an hourglass pattern down its back and a triangular tail.

A slender, diurnal lizard that prefers disturbed habitat. Has expanded toe pads. Both sexes usually have a bar between their eyes. Common Name: Smooth Anole Scientific Name:Norops rodrigueziiFamily: Polychrotidae

A slender, diurnal lizard that prefers forest habitat. Has an orange/red dewlap. Common Name: Ghost Anole Scientific Name:Norops lemurinusFamily: Polychrotidae

Common Name: Lesser Scaly Anole Scientific Name:Norops uniformus Family: Polychrotidae A slender, diurnal lizard that prefers undisturbed forest habitat. Has a wavy middorsal stripe and small vertical lines on its side.

Common Name: Saint George’s Island Gecko Scientific Name:Aristelliger georgeensis Family: Gekkonidae A large, nocturnal lizard that is restricted to the coast and cayes. Normally, a reticulated pattern exists down their back and white spots.

Common Name: Dwarf Gecko Scientific Name:Sphaerodactylus glaucus Family: Gekkonidae A minute, crepuscular lizard that may be active during the day. Two white dots around shoulders and hips.

Common Name: House Gecko Scientific Name:Hemidactylus frenatus Family: Gekkonidae A medium built, drab colored gecko that is particularly abundant around buildings. An introduced species that naturally occurs in Asia/Indonesia.

A slender, nocturnal lizard that carries itself higher off the ground than other geckos. Has very distinct bands. Common Name: C.A. Banded Gecko Scientific Name:Coleonyx elegens Family: Eublepharidae

A medium-bodied diurnal lizard that will run on two legs when approached. Has dual yellow lines and a crest behind its head. Common Name: Brown Basilisk Scientific Name:Basiliscus vittatusFamily: Corytophanidae

Common Name: Green Iguana Scientific Name:Iguana iguanaFamily: Iguanidae A large, diurnal lizard that is arboreal. Lays eggs and is a vegetarian. Commonly reach 2 m in length.

A small lizard that prefer open areas. Terrestrial and diurnal. Has dark lines that startat the nose and fade out about halfway. Spots on sides. Common Name: Brown Forest Skink Scientific Name:Shenomorphus cherriei Family: Scincidae

Common Name: White-lipped Mud Turtle Scientific Name:Kinosternum leucostomum Family: Kinosternidae Inhabitant of small, ephemeral pools. Can be found terrestrially during the dry season. Able to totally close itself inside its shell.

Inhabitant of inland streams, lakes, or just about any pool of water. Dark brown with intermittent patches of yellow. Common Name: Morellette’s Crocodile Scientific Name:Crocodylus morellettiFamily: Crocodylia

Amphibians • Ectotherms • Moist Skin • Anamnionic Egg • All Have Aquatic Larvae • Consume Great Numbers of Insects • Frogs Have Smooth Skin • Toads Have Warty Skin

Inhabitant of forested habitat. Has a small parotoid gland and a black stripe on its side. Common Name: Campbell’s Rainforest Toad Scientific Name:Bufo campbelli Family: Bufonidae

Common Name: Marine Toad Scientific Name:Bufo marinus Family: Bufonidae A large, abundant toad that prefers disturbed habitats. Has huge parotoid glands and reaches a very large size.

A medium sized, abundant toad that prefers open, disturbed areas. Has a dorsolateral pattern and large cranial ridges. Common Name: Gulf Coast Toad Scientific Name:Bufo valliceps Family: Bufonidae

Common Name: Milky Treefrog; Veined Treefrog Scientific Name:Phrynohyas venulosa Family: Hylidae A large, arboreal frog that is quite scansorial despite its bulk. Grows to a large size and produces a slimy residue.

Common Name: Red-eyed Treefrog Scientific Name:Agalychnis calidryas Family: Hylidae This species has yellow bars through the blue stripes on its side. It also has orange feet and red eyes.

Brown frog with a few longitudinal dark bars down back Has an overbite and a dark spot between eyes. Common Name: Stauffer’s Treefrog Scientific Name:Scinax staufferi Family: Hylidae

Common Name: Northern Glassfrog Scientific Name:Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni Family: Centrolenidae A small, arboreal frog is associated with humid undisturbed forests. Light Green with yellow spots and a see-through belly.

Usually found on low shrubs at night after a good rain. A small, tan to greenish frog that has slender front legs and thick rear legs. Usually has mottling all over. Common Name: Mottled Chirping Frog Scientific Name:Syrrhopus leprus Family: Leptodactylidae

Common Name: Fringe-toed Foamfrog Scientific Name:Leptodactylus melanonotus Family: Leptodactylidae A small terrestrial frog that is common in virtually all freshwater habitats. Long thin toes, black leg stripes and white under the eye.

Common Name: White-lipped Foam Frog Scientific Name:Leptodactylus labialis Family: Leptodactylidae A small, abundant frog that is often found in grass fields. Can also occur in a red-backed morph. Has very thin toes On the rear foot with almost no webbing.

Common Name: Mexican Treefrog Scientific Name:Smilisca baudinii Family: Hylidae A large, green to brown frog that is rather robust. Head is broad and flattened. Faint stripes can be seen on the rear legs.

Common Name: Rio Grande Leopard Frog Scientific Name:Rana berlandieri Family: Ranidae A moderate sized frog usually found near bodies of water. Brown with several circular spots on its back. Has a pointed snout and lateral folds.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Belize