Reptile
Leatherback Sea Turtle
The giant jellyfish specialist
Reptiles
The guide features 54 species in the reptile class. Each profile answers the most-searched questions first.
What are reptiles?
Reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic) vertebrates covered in protective scales or scutes. Most lay leathery-shelled eggs on land and rely on the environment — basking or sheltering — to regulate their body temperature. The group includes snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, and the tuatara, ranging from millimetre-scale geckos to the saltwater crocodile at over 6 metres.
Reptile
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
The tortoiseshell turtle
Reptile
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The prehistoric lure-fishing giant of American rivers
Reptile
Black Mamba
Africa's fast and feared elapid snake
Reptile
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The powerful-jawed sea turtle
Reptile
Inland Taipan
World's most venomous snake by lab toxicity
Reptile
Copperhead
Common US pit viper with hourglass bands
Reptile
Bearded Dragon
The friendly desert lizard and favorite pet reptile
Reptile
Reticulated Python
World's longest snake
Reptile
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Largest rattlesnake of North America
Reptile
American Alligator
The armored survivor of the southern swamps
Reptile
Chameleon
The color-changing lizard with 360-degree eyes
Reptile
Puff Adder
Heavy African viper linked to many snakebites
Reptile
Crested Gecko
Eyelash-crested gecko of New Caledonia
Reptile
Gaboon Viper
Heavy rainforest viper with huge fangs
Reptile
Saltwater Crocodile
The largest living reptile and most powerful bite on Earth
Reptile
Ball Python
The gentle constrictor that curls into a ball
Reptile
Spectacled Caiman
The common crocodilian of the Americas
Reptile
Eastern Box Turtle
North America's hinged turtle
Reptile
Tuatara
Living-fossil reptile unique to New Zealand
Reptile
Nile Monitor
Large African water monitor and egg predator
Reptile
Common Garter Snake
Familiar harmless snake of North American yards
Reptile
Eastern Coral Snake
Brightly banded venomous elapid of the Southeast
Reptile
King Cobra
The world's longest venomous snake
Reptile
Painted Turtle
The pond slider of North America
Reptile
Sidewinder
Horned rattlesnake that sidewinds across dunes
Reptile
Veiled Chameleon
Tall-casqued chameleon of the Arabian Peninsula
Reptile
Boomslang
Arboreal African snake with potent venom
Reptile
Komodo Dragon
The largest lizard on Earth
Reptile
Blue-tongued Skink
Stocky Australian skink with a blue tongue
Reptile
Green Basilisk
Jesus Christ lizard that runs on water
Reptile
Thorny Devil
Spiky desert lizard that drinks via skin channels
Reptile
Green Sea Turtle
The gentle, long-lived grazer of tropical seas
Reptile
Green Anole
Colour-changing lizard of southern US gardens
Reptile
Galápagos Tortoise
The giant tortoise that can live over a century
Reptile
Chuckwalla
Rock-dwelling desert lizard that inflates to wedge itself
Reptile
Nile Crocodile
Africa's largest and most formidable predator of the rivers
Reptile
Green Anaconda
The heaviest snake in the world
Reptile
Boa Constrictor
The powerful constricting snake of the Americas
Reptile
Coastal Taipan
Lightning-fast elapid of Australian cane fields
Reptile
Emerald Tree Boa
Emerald coil of the Amazon canopy
Reptile
Green Tree Python
Lime-green python of Papuan rainforests
Reptile
Panther Chameleon
Locale-coloured chameleon of Madagascar
Reptile
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
The venomous pit viper with a warning rattle
Reptile
Corn Snake
The gentle, colorful beginner's pet snake
Reptile
Snapping Turtle
The powerful-jawed freshwater turtle of North America
Reptile
Frilled Lizard
The lizard that flares a dramatic neck frill
Reptile
Asian Water Monitor
One of the largest lizards in the world
Reptile
Leopard Gecko
The spotted desert gecko and beginner-friendly pet
Reptile
Gila Monster
One of the few venomous lizards
Reptile
Garter Snake
One of North America's most common and widespread snakes
Reptile
Adder
Britain's only venomous snake
Reptile
Gharial
The fish-eating crocodilian with a long, narrow snout
Reptile
Green Iguana
The large tree-dwelling lizard of the tropics
Frequently asked questions
What are reptiles?
Reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic) vertebrates covered in protective scales or scutes. Most lay leathery-shelled eggs on land and rely on the environment — basking or sheltering — to regulate their body temperature. The group includes snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, and the tuatara, ranging from millimetre-scale geckos to the saltwater crocodile at over 6 metres.
How many reptiles are in the Global Animal Guide?
The Global Animal Guide currently features 54 reptiles with full, answer-first profiles covering diet, habitat, size, and conservation status.