Bay Area Herpetology

Reptiles & Amphibians of the

San Francisco Bay Area

Reptiles

Crocodilians (0)
Lizards (10)
Snakes (20) + 1 non-native
Turtles (1) + multiple introductions
31 Total Natives
*rare or difficult to find
+ listed, protected, or endangered

Californiaherps.com
http://mvz.berkeley.edu
http://research.calacademy.org/herp
Range maps by Gary Naris

Turtles

Emydidae
Most diverse turtle family: 100+ species.
Both aquatic species, with webbed toes, and
terrestrial species.
Skull differences distinguish this family.
Name means turtle or tortoise.

Western Pond Turtle

Clemmys (Actinemys) marmorata

Western Pond Turtle

Western Pond Turtle

Clemmys (Actinemys) marmorata
Borges Ranch, Sunol, Heather Park,
Swett Ranch, Briones
Habitat: Ponds, creeks and rivers.
Where to look: on logs; in water,
occasional road crossings.
Food: invertebrates, fish, amphibians.
Color variation: pale and dark forms.
Males have more beige on bodies with
lighter throats; females have flatter shells.
Additional Comments: Our turtles species
remains in question.

Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans

Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Heather Park, Tilden Park
Habitat: Introduced via pet trade in
public park ponds and some
introduced into wild.
Where to look: on logs; in water.
Curious and often come to inspect
for food.
Food: invertebrates, fish,
amphibians.
Color variation: pale and dark; red
ears may disappear with age in old
males.
Additional Comments: Males have
longer claws. Breeds more than
once per year.

More Weed Turtle Species

Trachemys scripta scripta Yellow-bellied Slider

Pseudemys concinna River Cooter

Graptemys pseudographica False Map Turtle

Chysemys pica Western Painted Turtle

Lizards

Phrynosomatidae
Representatives include Zebra-tailed Lizards,
Horned lizards, Spiny Lizards, Side-blotched
Lizards, Brush Lizards, Tree Lizards and
Earless Lizards.
All have a nasal passage with a U shaped
bend that acts as trap for fine particles,
preventing them from entering the lungs.
Nam means toad mouth.

Western Fence Lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii

Western Fence Lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii
Habitat: Forests, rocky, suburban
areas, grasslands.
Where to look: rocks, fences,
buildings trees.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Males with
pronounced blue bellies; females
less so. Both sexes darken with
cold; males may be dark in
breeding season. Dorsal color
varies from blue to green when
present. Often color matches
habitat.
Additional Comments. Parietal eye.
Agent against Lyme Disease.

Western Sagebrush Lizard!

Sceloporus graciosus gracilis

Western Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus gracilis
Mt. Diablo summit, Del Puerto
Canyon
Habitat: Rocky regions; grasslands.
Where to look: High rock outcrops
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Males darker than
females; more blur color. All have
some orange.
Additional Comments. Mt. Diablo
population most closely related to
Yolo county population.
Small granular scales distinguish
form S. occidentalis.

Coast Horned Lizard+

Phrynosoma blainvillii (coronatum)

Coast Horned Lizard+

Phrynosoma blainvillii (coronatum)
Mt. Diablo, Lime Ridge
Habitat: Sandy and gravely areas in
grasslands and chaparral
Where to look: Under shrubs; near
ant colonies.
Food: ants
Color variation: pale to dark
Additional Comments. Habitat
destruction, UV radiation and
introduced ant species have
imperiled our horned lizard.

Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana

Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana elegans

Habitat: Grasslands, rocky regions.

Where to look: sandy, grassy areas
and near rocky outcrops.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Males develop
more color during breeding season.
Color determines mating
behaviors.
Additional Comments. Blue males
are the most aggressive breeders.
Some males mimic female
coloration for successful breeding.
Relic populations on McGuire Peak
and Antioch Dunes.

Scincidae
Over 1200 species
Shiny cycloid scales reinforced with bone.

Smooth

rounded rear borders.

Small limbs
Forked tongue
Some have window in the lower eyelid so they can see
when eyes are closed, but not ours.
Both egg laying and live-bearing species .
Color pattern changes with age in our species .

Name means: skink.

Variegated Skink*
Eumeces (Plestiodon) gilberti cancellosis

Varigated Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) gilberti cancellosis
Briones, Lime Ridge
Habitat: grassland, salt flats, open
chaparral and forests, often near
streams.
Where to look: under rocks and logs; in
leaf litter.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Broad alternating pale
and stripes often lost with with age and
may be absent. Red tails develop with
age. Red to orange on head and chin in
breeding season. Newborn young
entirely red in our area; otherwise dark
with lateral white stripes.
Additional Comments. Females remain
with eggs and stay with young after
hatching for a short period of time.

Orange and gray

Skiltons Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) skiltonianus
skiltonianus

Skiltons Skink
Eumeces (Plestiodon) skiltonianus skiltonianus
Mt. Diablo, Sunol, Briones,
Borges Ranch, Morgan Territory
Habitat: chaparral, open forests, pine
forests. Prefers wet regions near
streams.
Where to look: under rocks and logs;
in leaf litter.
Food: invertebrates
Color variation: Broad alternating pale
and stripes fade with age. Young with
blue tails. Red to orange on head and
chin in breeding season
Additional Comments. Females remain
with eggs and stay with young after
hatching for a short period of time.

Teiidae

~225 species
Slim-bodied, alert
Forked tongues
Move with a jerky gait with side movements of head
Regular transverse and longitudinal rows of belly
scales.
Color pattern changes with growth in many species.
Name = indigenous name for Tegu Lizard

California Whiptail Lizard

Cnemidophorus (Aspidoscelis) tigris
mundus

California Whiptail Lizard

Cnemidophorus (Aspidoscelis) tigris
mundus
Mt. Diablo, Black Diamond Mines

Habitat: Prefers open areas and

sparse chaparral, open forests.
Where to look: On trails and under
shrubs.
Food: invertebrates and lizards
Color variation: Young spotted or
marbled with greenish-blue tail.
Additional Comments. Active at
high temperatures.

Anguidae
Distributed world wide.
Short limbs and long bodies and limbless
forms.
Distinctive lateral folds of granular sales
on bodies that separates dorsal and
ventral scales.
Both egg-laying and live-bearing species.
Name means snake-like

San Francisco Alligator Lizard

Elegaria coerulea coerulea

San Francisco Alligator Lizard

Elegaria coerulea coerulea
Redwood Regional Park, Tilden Park

Habitat: Forests including redwoods.

Where to look: under rocks and logs.
Food: snails, spiders, insects, ticks.
Color variation: gray, olive or bluish or
greenish; young cross-banded.
Additional Comments. Live-bearing;
Eyes dark.

California Alligator Lizard

Elegaria multicariata multicariata

California Alligator Lizard*

Elegaria multicarinata multicarinata
Mt. Diablo, Redwood Regional
Park, Sunol, King Ranch
Habitat: Chaparral, grasslands, suburbs,
open forests
Where to look: under rocks and logs.
Food: Spiders, scorpions, lizards,
mammals.
Color variation: Brown to red. Young
with dorsal stripe and bright tails.
Additional Comments. Tail semiprehensile; longer than body when not
regenerated. Can drop tail when
frightened.
Eyes yellow.
Egg layers.

Annilellidae

Small smooth cycloid scales.

Legless; fossorial.
Recently classified into several species.
Small eyes with movable lids
Lower jaw insert that prevents sand from entering
mouth.
Shovel-like snout.
Earless.
Live bearing
Named for Ann Alexander

California Legless Lizard*

Anniella pulchra

California Legless Lizard*

Anniella pulchra
Antioch Dunes

Habitat: Sand soils or loose loams.

Fossorial.
Where to look: Under rocks and logs;
digging near shrubs or fence posts and
sandy hillsides, leaf litter
Food: Invertebrates in leaf litter
including spiders
Color variation: silvery melanistic forms
on coast, belly yellow to gray.
Additional Comments. Live bearing.

Snakes

Boidae
Vestiges of pelvis, displayed as small
spurs, most prominent in males.
Smooth scales.
Some have temperature sensitive pits on
labial scales for detecting prey.
Prey killed typically by constriction.
Boas are live-bearing; Pythons egg laying.
Name means water serpent.

Rubber Boa*
Charina bottae

Rubber Boa*
Charina bottae
Tilden Park; San Mateo County

Habitat: grasslands, forests, chaparral.

Where to look: Under logs and rocks

Food: baby rodents and shrews,
salamanders, young snakes.
Color variation: tan to brown
Additional Comments. Vertical pupil;
coils to protect head; strikes with blunt
tail. Good swimmer.
Red: Northern Rubber Boa
Blue: Southern Rubber Boa
Orange: area where the species of rubber boa
is recognized as potentially Southern Rubber Boa by
the CDFW.
Purple: Area representing recently-discovered
boas of unexamined species, most likely Northern
Rubber Boa.

Colubridae
Family is difficult to characterize and may
be more than one family.
Live-bearing and egg laying forms.
Venomous and non-venous forms.
All have large head scales.
Name means snake.

Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus

Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus amabilis

Habitat: Moist habitats

Where to look: Crossing trails,
under logs and rocks
Food: salamanders, slugs,
lizards, frogs and worms.
Color variation: Fairly inform
with yellow belly and red tail.
Additional Comments. Semivenomous, often has
communal nestperhaps 2x
per year. Coils tail as warning;
musky excrement.

Black-headed Snake
Tanilla nigriceps

California Black-headed Snake

Tanilla planiceps

Corral Hollow, Del Puerto Canyon

Habitat: Chaparral, grasslands,

rocky regions.
Where to look: night drives, under
rocks on talus slopes.
Food: centipedes, spiders,
insects.
Color variation: Fairly uniform.
Additional Comments: Nocturnal.
Very secretive and uncommon.
Mildly venomous.

Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia tenuis

Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia tenuis
Merritt Campus, Mt. Diablo,
Borges Ranch
Habitat: Forest, grasslands, streams,
prefers wet areas,
Where to look: under rocks and logs,
leaf litter.
Food: slugs and slender salamanders
Color variation: brown to red
Additional Comments. Tail used as a
weapon. Often gregarious.

Forest Sharp-tailed Snake*

Contia longicaudae

Forest Sharp-tailed Snake*

Contia longicaudae
Gazos Creek

Habitat: Forests, grassy meadows,

prefers wet areas.
Where to look: under rocks and logs, leaf
litter in coastal regions.
Food: probably slugs and slender
salamanders.
Color variation: brown
Additional Comments. Little is know about
his species.
.

Alameda Striped Racer+

Masticophis (Coluber) lateralis
euryxanthus

Alameda Whipsnake+
Masticophis (Coluber) lateralis euryxanthus
Mt. Diablo

Habitat: Grasslands, open

forests; diurnal.
Where to look: Moving about
during the day on trails and in
trees.
Food: Frogs, lizards, snakes,
birds, mammals, insects.
Color variation: Orange ventral
belly; tail pink. Less o with
intergrades.
Additional Comments:
Hybridizes with C. lateralis.

California Striped Racer*

Masticophis (Coluber) lateralis lateralis

Calfiornia Striped Racer*

Masticophis (Coluber) lateralis lateralis
??????????????
Habitat: Chaparral
Where to look: moving
about during the day
Food: Frogs, lizards,
snakes, birds, mammals,
insects.
Color variation: Yellow
belly turns reddish at tail
Additional Comments.
Difficult to find here, but
more common south near
Holbrook area. Road kills
probably have decreased
population.

Western Yellow-bellied Racer

Coluber constrictor mormon

Racer
Coluber constrictor (juvenile)

Western Yellow-bellied Racer

Coluber constrictor mormon
Mt. Diablo, Black Diamond Mines
Habitat: meadows, chaparral,
forests, fields, grasslands.
Where to look: Under logs and
rocks; active during day.
Food: small mammals, reptiles,
frogs, and insects.
Color variation: olive green to
bluish.
Additional Comments.
Extremely alert; young have
brown saddles.

Pacific Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer

Pacific Gopher Snake*

Pituophis catenifer
Mt. Diablo, King Ranch, Lime
Ridge, Gazos Creek, Black
Diamond Mines, Corral Hollow,
Del Puerto Canyon
Habitat: variety of habitats
Where to look: Night drives,
under logs; sunning on rocks and
in trails.
Food: Rodents. Rabbits. Birds
and eggs. Sometimes lizards
and insects.
Color variation: Smaller saddles
on coast; striped near Cordelia.
Additional Comments. Rattles
tail and strikes when alarmed;
generally passive.

California Glossy Snake*

Arizona elegans occidentalis

California Glossy Snake*

Arizona elegans occidentalis
Corral Hollow, Del Puerto Canyon
Habitat: Chaparral, grasslands,
deserts, woodlands; sands or loams
required.
Where to look: Night drives, under
rocks and logs.
Food: Lizards, also snakes, and small
mammals
Color variation: pale; belly unmarked.
Additional Comments. Rare in our
area. Appear to be nocturnal.

Coast Mountain Kingsnake*

Lampropeltis zonata
Photo by Clay Fischer

Coast Mountain Kingsnake

Lampropeltis zonata
Henry Coe Park, Santa Cruz area,
Mt. Hamilton

Habitat: Moist woods and chaparral

from mountains to coastline.
Where to look: Under rocks and logs;
sunning in open areas. Diurnal.
Nocturnal in warm weather.
Food: Lizards, snakes, birds and eggs,
small mammals
Color variation: red on black; venom
lack
Additional Comments. Uncommon in
our area.

Common Kingsnake*
Lampropeltis getula

California Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula californiae
Mt. Diablo, Lime Ridge, Black Diamond
Mines, Briones, Tilden Park, Corral
Hollow, Del Puerto Canyon
Habitat: forests, woodlands, chaparral,
marshes, farmland.
Where to look: Under rocks and logs,
sunning on trails, night drives.
Food: snakes, lizards, small turtles.
Frogs. Birds, eggs and small mammals.
Color variation: Uniform in our area
Additional Comments. Eats
rattlesnakes; rattles tail when alarmed.

Long-nosed Snake*
Rhinocheilus lecontei

Photo: Bida Mansouri

Long-nosed Snake

Rhinocheilus lecontei
Del Puerto Canyon, Corral Hollow

Habitat: deserts, grasslands,

loose or sandy soils.
Where to look: night drives
Food: lizards and their eggs, small
snakes, mammals and birds
Color variation: Young brighter.
Additional Comments: Lower jaw
counter sunk for digging; good
burrower.

California Red-sided Garter Snake*

Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis

California Red-sided Garter Snake*

Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
Sunol; Abbotts Lagoon;
Mavericks

Habitat: Lives near water.

Where to look: streams, sloughs and
ponds. Under logs; sunning in open.
Food: fish, frogs and tadpoles,
salamanders, birds, small mammals.
reptiles, earthworms, slugs, leeches.
And insects.
Color variation: Red varies in
populations.
Additional Comments. Large eyes;
Alert. Males have knobby keels above
vent. Live bearing.

San Francisco Garter Snake!+

Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia

San Francisco Garter Snake+

Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia
Ano Nuevo; Pescadero
Habitat: Lives near water.
Where to look: streams, sloughs and
ponds. Under logs; sunning in open.
Food: fish, frogs and tadpoles,
salamanders, birds, small mammals.
reptiles, earthworms, slugs, leeches.
Maybe insects.
Color variation: Similar in all
populations.
Additional Comments. Large eyes;
Alert. Males have knobby keels above
vent. May hybridize. Live bearing.

Coast Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans terrestris

Coast Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans terrestris

Coast Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans terrestris
Mt. Diablo, Borges Ranch,
Redwood Regional Park,
Pescadero Marsh
Habitat: Grasslands, woodlands, near
streams, wet areas but can be far from
water.
Where to look: Under logs and rocks,
sunning on trails, in water.
Food: slugs, fish, frogs and tadpoles,
salamanders, birds, small mammals.
reptiles, earthworms, leeches, insects
and sometimes carrion.
Color variation: Very variable. Red
morphs, dark and olive morphs.
Additional Comments. Live bearing. Our
most common garter snake.

Diablo Range Garter Snake

Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus

Diablo Range Garter Snake

Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus
Mt. Diablo, Borges Ranch,
Redwood Regional Park
Habitat: Ponds and creeks,
occasionally far from water.
Where to look: In water near
cattails
Food: frigs, toads, fish, fish
eggs, salamanders, earthworms,
leeches.
Color variation: Fairly inform with
bold yellow stripes.
Additional Comments: Most
common garter snake seen in
water in our area. Live-bearing.

Santa Cruz Garter

Snake
Thamnophis atratus atratus

Santa Cruz Garter Snake

Thamnophis atratus atratus
Big Basin; Gazos Creek
Habitat: Ponds, sloughs and
creeks.
Where to look: In water or near
streams.
Food: frigs, toads, fish, fish
eggs, salamanders,
earthworms, leeches.
Color variation: Yellow chin,
lateral stripes often obscured in
our area .
Additional Comments: Live
bearing.

Garter Snake Chin Shield Comparison

from A Field Guide to Snakes of California by Philip R. Brown

T. sirtalis

T. atratus

T. elegans

Night Snake*
Hypsiglena ochororhynchus nuchalata

Photo: Bida Mansouri

California Night Snake*

Hypsiglena ochororhynchus nuchalata
Corral Hollow, Del Puerto Canyon

Habitat: Chaparral, grasslands,

moist meadows.
Where to look: night drives,
under rocks and logs,
occasionally sunning in open.
Food: lizards, small snakes,
frogs, salamanders,
Color variation: fairly uniform.
Additional Comments. Reared
fanged. Eyes cat-like,
crepuscular to nocturnal.
Occipital region with large dark
saddle.

Northern Water Snake

Nerodia sipedon

Northern Water Snake

Nerodia sipedon
La Fayette Reservoir

Habitat: Lakes and rivers.

Where to look: Under rocks I
water, or sunning in our out of
water.
Food: crayfish, frogs, insects,
fish, young turtles, tadpoles,
salamanders,
Color variation: fairly uniform.
Additional Comments.
Introduced to Lafayette
Reservoir. Live bearing. Males
with knobbed keel near anal
vent.

Viperidae
Subfamily Crotalinae
Large hollow movable fangs that swing
forward in strike.
All venomous.
Temperature sensitive pits between eye
and nostril: loreal pits
True vipers live in the old world.
Name means viper.

Head Scales
from A Field Guide to Snakes of California by Philip R. Brown

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

Crotalis oreganus oreganus

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

Crotalis oreganus oreganus
Mt. Diablo, Lime Ridge, Del
Puerto Canyon, Corral Hollow
Habitat: coastal scrub, chaparral,
grassland, oak woodlands and conifer
forests.
Where to look: Under rocks and logs,
sunning on trails, night drives.
Food: adults eat mammals including
rodents, rabbits, moles and shrews;
young eat lizards.
Color variation: pale and dark forms;
young often with yellow tail.
Additional Comments: The only
venomous snake in our area; live
bearing. Young venom more toxic.

Key features of Herps

Range
Habitat
Season
Reproductive strategies
Variations
Distinguishing features
Similar species
Status