List of reptiles of Pakistan

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There are around 170 species of reptiles living in Pakistan.

Order Crocodilia[edit]

There are only two species found in Pakistan.

• Family Crocodylidae (crocodiles) - 1 species
  • Crocodylus palustris (mugger crocodile, Indian crocodile, Indus crocodile or marsh crocodile) - national reptile
• Family Gavialidae (gharials) - 1 species
  • Gavialis gangeticus (Indian gavial or gharial)

Order Squamata[edit]

Around 153 species of Squamata are found in Pakistan.

Suborder Lacertilia[edit]

There are 86 species of Lacertilia (lizards and relatives) in Pakistan.

• Family Agamidae (agamas) - 22 species
  • Brachysaura minor (Hardwicke's bloodsucker)
  • Calotes versicolor (Oriental garden lizard, eastern garden lizard or changeable lizard)
  • Japalura kumaonensis (Kumaon mountain lizard)
  • Paralaudakia badakhshana (Badakhshana rock agama)
  • Paralaudakia caucasia (Caucasian agama)
  • Paralaudakia himalayana (Himalayan agama)
  • Laudakia agrorensis (Agror agama)
  • Laudakia melanura (black agama)
  • Laudakia fusca (yellow-headed rock agama)
  • Laudakia nupta (large-scaled rock agama) - 2 subspecies
    • Laudakia n. fusca
    • Laudakia n. nupta
  • Laudakia tuberculata (Kashmir rock agama)
  • Phrynocephalus clarkorum (Clark's toad-headed agama)
  • Phrynocephalus euptilopus (Alcock's toad-headed agama)
  • Phrynocephalus luteoguttatus (yellow-speckled toad-headed agama)
  • Phrynocephalus maculatus (blacktail toadhead agama)
  • Phrynocephalus ornatus (ornate toadhead agama)
  • Phrynocephalus scutellatus (gray toadhead agama)
  • Trapelus agilis pakistanensis (brilliant ground agama)
  • Trapelus rubrigularis (red-throated agama)
  • Trapelus ruderatus (horn-scaled agama or Baluch ground agama)
  • Uromastyx asmussi (Iranian mastigure)
  • Uromastyx hardwickii (Hardwick's spiny-tailed lizard or Indian spiny-tailed lizard)
• Family Chamaeleonidae (chameleons) - 1 species
  • Chamaeleo zeylanicus (Indian chameleon or Ceylon chameleon)
• Family Gekkonidae (eyelid and lidless geckoes) - 33 species
  • Agamura femoralis or Rhinogecko femoralis (De Witte's gecko or sharp-tailed spider gecko)
  • Agamura persica persica (Persian spider gecko)
  • Bunopus tuberculatus (Baluch rock gecko)
  • Crossobamon eversmanni (Baluchistan sand gecko or comb-toed gecko) - 2 subspecies
    • Crossobamon e. eversmanni or Crossobamon maynardi
    • Crossobamon e. lumsdenii
  • Crossobamon orientalis (Sind gecko)
  • Cyrtodactylus walli (Chitral gecko or Swat stone gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium agamuroides (Nikolsky spider gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium baturensis (Batura thin-toed gecko or Batura gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium dattanensis (Khan's bow-fingered gecko or Hazara gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium fortmunroi (Fort Munro gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium indusoani (Soan Sakaser gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium kachhensis (Kutch gecko) - 2 subspecies
    • Cyrtopodium k. ingoldbyi (Ingoldby's stone gecko)
    • Cyrtopodium k. kachhensis (warty rock gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium mintoni (Minton's gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium montiumsalsorum (Salt Range rock gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium rhodocaudus (red-tailed gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium rohtasfortai (Rohtas Fort gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium scaber (keeled rock gecko)
  • Cyrtopodium watsoni (Quetta rock gecko)
  • Eublepharis macularius (leopard gecko)
  • Hemidactylus brookii brookii (Brook's house gecko or spotted Indian house gecko)
  • Hemidactylus flaviviridis (yellow-bellied house gecko)
  • Hemidactylus frenatus (Pacific house gecko or South Asian waif gecko)
  • Hemidactylus imbricatus (carrot-tail viper gecko)
  • Hemidactylus leschenaultii (Leschenault's leaf-toed gecko or bark gecko)
  • Hemidactylus persicus (Persian leaf-toed gecko)
  • Hemidactylus triedrus triedus (termite hill gecko or blotched house gecko)
  • Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus (Mediterranean house gecko)
  • Microgecko depressus (low lying gecko)
  • Microgecko helenae (banded dwarf gecko)
  • Ptyodactylus homolepis (Pakistan fan-fingered gecko) - 2 subspecies
    • Ptyodactylus h. homolepis
    • Ptyodactylus h. socotranus
  • Teratoscincus microlepis (small-scaled wonder gecko or Baluch plate-tailed gecko)
  • Teratoscincus scincus (Turkestan plate-tailed gecko or common wonder gecko or frog-eyed gecko)
  • Tropiocolotes persica (Persian sand gecko or Persian pygmy gecko)
• Family Lacertidae (sand lizards, wall lizards and true lizards) - 12 species
  • Acanthodactylus cantoris (Indian fringe-fingered lizard) - 2 subspecies
    • Acanthodactylus c. blanfordii (Mekran fringe-fingered lizard)
    • Acanthodactylus c. cantoris (Indian fringe-fingered lizard)
  • Acanthodactylus micropholis (yellow-tailed sand lizard)
  • Eremias acutirostris (reticulate desert lacerta)
  • Eremias fasciata (yellow-headed desert lacerta)
  • Eremias scripta (Caspian desert lacerta)
  • Eremias velox persica (Persian Steppe lacerta)
  • Mesalina brevirostris (short-nosed desert lacerta)
  • Mesalina guttulata (small-spotted lizard or long-tailed desert lacerta)
  • Ophisops elegans (elegant snake-eyed lizard) - 2 subspecies
    • Ophisops e. blanfordi (Blanfords snake-eyed lizard)
    • Ophisops e. elegans (elegant snake-eyed lizard)
  • Ophisops jerdonii (Jerdon's snake-eyed lizard or Punjab snake-eyed lizard)
  • Ophisops microlepis (Indian snake-eyed lizard)
  • Scapteira aporosceles (Chagai desert lacerta)
• Family Scincidae (skinks) - 15 species
  • Ablepharus grayanus (minor snake-eyed skink)
  • Ablepharus pannonicus (Asian snake-eyed skink)
  • Chalcides ocellatus (ocellated skink)
  • Eumeces schneiderii zarudnyi (Schneider's skink, Berber skink or Zarudny's skink)
  • Eurylepis indothalensis (Thal skink)
  • Eurylepis taeniolata (alpine Punjab skink or yellow-bellied mole skink)
  • Eutropis dissimilis (striped grass mabuya or striped grass skink)
  • Eutropis macularia (bronze mabuya, bronze grass skink)
  • Ophiomorus blanfordii (Makran sand swimmer)
  • Ophiomorus brevipes (short-toed sand swimmer)
  • Ophiomorus raithmai (Indus sand swimmer)
  • Ophiomorus tridactylus (three-toed snake skink or Indian sandswimmer)
  • Scincella ladacensis - 2 subspecies
    • Scincella l. ladacensis (Ladak ground skink)
    • Scincella l. himalayana (Himalayan ground skink)
• Family Varanidae (monitor lizards) - 3 species
  • Varanus bengalensis (Bengal monitor)
  • Varanus flavescens (yellow monitor)
  • Varanus griseus - 2 subspecies
    • Varanus g. caspius (eastern desert monitor)
    • Varanus g. koniecznyi (Thar desert monitor)

Suborder Serpentes[edit]

There are 71 species and 15 subspecies of Serpentes (snakes) found in Pakistan.

• Family Boidae (boas) - 3 species
  • Eryx johnii (Indian sand boa or red sand boa)
  • Eryx tataricus speciosus (Tartar sand boa)
  • Eryx conicus (rough-scaled sand boa)
• Family Colubridae (colubrids) - 35 species
  • Herpetoreas platyceps
  • Herpetoreas sieboldii
  • Dendrelaphis tristis
  • Coelognathus helena
  • Amphiesma stolata stolata
  • Boiga trigonata – 1 subspecies
    • Boiga t. melanocephala
  • Platyceps plinii
  • Platyceps karelini – 1 subspecies
    • Platyceps k. mintonorum
  • Hemorrhois ravergieri spotted whip snake
  • Platyceps rhodorachis – 2 subspecies
    • Coluber r. kashmirensis
    • Coluber r. ladacensis
  • Platyceps ventromaculatus – 2 subspecies
    • Coluber v. bengalensis
    • Coluber v. indusai
  • Enhydris pakistanica
  • Fowlea piscator
  • Fowlea sanctijohannis
  • Fowlea schnurrenbergeri
  • Lycodon aulicus
  • Lycodon bicolor
  • Lycodon striatus
  • Lycodon travancoricus
  • Lytorhynchus maynardi
  • Lytorhynchus paradoxus
  • Lytorhynchus ridgewayi
  • Natrix tessellata
  • Oligodon russelius
  • Oligodon taeniolatus
  • Psammophis condanarus
  • Psammophis leithii
  • Psammophis lineolatus
  • Psammophis schokari
  • Eirenis persicus
  • Ptyas mucosus
  • Sibynophis sagittarius
  • Spalerosophis atriceps
  • Spalerosophis arenarius
  • Spalerosophis diadema – 1 subspecies
    • Spalerosophis d. schirazianus
  • Telescopus rhinopoma
  • Xenochrophis cerasogaster
• Family Elapidae (kraits and cobras) - 4 species
  • Bungarus caeruleus (common krait)
  • Bungarus sindanus (Sind krait) – 1 subspecies
    • Bungarus s. razai (northern Punjab krait)
  • Naja naja (Indian cobra or spectacled cobra)
  • Naja oxiana (Central Asian cobra or Oxus cobra)
• Family Hydrophiidae (sea snakes) - 14 species
  • Astrotia stokesii (Stokes' sea snake)
  • Enhydrina schistosa (beaked sea snake, hook-nosed sea snake, common sea snake or Valakadyn sea snake)
  • Hydrophis caerulescens (dwarf seasnake or many-toothed sea snake)
  • Hydrophis cyanocinctus (annulated sea snake or blue-banded sea snake)
  • Hydrophis fasciatus (striped sea snake)
  • Hydrophis lapemoides (Persian Gulf sea snake)
  • Hydrophis mamillaris (Bombay sea snake)
  • Hydrophis ornatus (ornate reef seasnake)
  • Hydrophis spiralis (Yellow Sea snake)
  • Lapemis curtus (Shaw's sea snake)
  • Microcephalophis cantoris (Cantor's small-headed sea snake)
  • Microcephalophis gracilis (graceful small-headed sea snake or slender sea snake)
  • Pelamis platurus (yellow-bellied sea snake or pelagic sea snake)
  • Praescutata viperina (viperine sea snake)
• Family Leptotyphlopidae (thread snakes) - 2 species
  • Leptotyphlops blanfordii (Blanford's worm snake or Sind thread snake)
  • Leptotyphlops macrorhynchus (long-nosed worm snake or beaked thread snake)
• Family Pythonidae (pythons) - 1 species
  • Python molurus molurus (Indian python, black-tailed python or Sind python)
• Family Typhlopidae (blind snakes) - 4 species
  • Ramphotyphlops braminus (brahminy blind snake)
  • Typhlops ahsanai (Ahsan's blind snake)
  • Typhlops porrectus or Typhlops ductuliformes (slender worm snake)
  • Typhlops madgemintonai – 1 subspecies
    • Typhlops m. shermanai (Sherman's blind snake)
• Family Viperidae (vipers and pit vipers) - 7 species
  • Daboia russelii russelii (daboia or Russell's viper)
  • Echis carinatus (Indian saw-scaled viper) - 3 subspecies
    • Echis c. astolae (Astola saw-scaled viper)
    • Echis c. multisquamatus (multiscale saw-scaled viper)
    • Echis c. sochureki (Sochurek's saw-scaled viper)
  • Eristicophis macmahonii (McMahon's viper, Asian sand viper, leaf-nosed viper)
  • Gloydius himalayanus (Himalayan pit viper)
  • Macrovipera lebetinus (blunt-nosed viper, Lebetine viper, Levant viper) - 3 subspecies
    • Macrovipera lebetina obtusa (west-Asian blunt-nosed viper, Levant blunt-nosed viper)
    • Macrovipera lebetina cernovi (Chernov blunt-nosed viper)
    • Macrovipera lebetina turanica (Turan blunt-nosed viper)
  • Pseudocerastes persicus persicus (Persian horned viper, false horned viper)

Order Testudines[edit]

There are 15 species of testudines that represent Pakistan.

• Family Cheloniidae (sea turtles) - 4 species
  • Chelonia mydas (green sea turtle)
  • Caretta caretta (loggerhead sea turtle)
  • Eretmochelys imbricata bissa (hawksbill turtle)
  • Lepidochelys olivacea (olive ridley turtle)
• Family Dermochelyidae (softshell sea turtles) - 1 species
  • Dermochelys coriacea (leatherback sea turtle or leatherback)
• Family Geoemydidae (Asian river turtles, Asian leaf turtles, Asian box turtles and roofed turtles) - 4 species
  • Geoclemys hamiltonii (black pond turtle, spotted pond turtle or Indian spotted turtle)
  • Hardella thurjii (brahminy river turtle or crowned river turtle)
  • Kachuga smithii smithii (brown-roofed turtle)
  • Kachuga tecta (Indian roofed turtle)
  • Melanochelys trijuga (Indian black turtle)
• Family Testudinidae (true tortoises) - 2 species
  • Geochelone elegans (Indian star tortoise)
  • Testudo horsfieldi horsfieldii (Afghan tortoise, Horsfield's tortoise or Central Asian tortoise)
• Family Trionychidae (softshell turtles) - 4 species
  • Aspideretes gangeticus indica (Ganges soft-shelled turtle)
  • Aspideretes hurum (peacock soft-shelled turtle)
  • Chitra indica (narrow-headed soft-shelled turtle)
  • Lissemys punctata andersoni (Indian flap-shelled turtle)

References[edit]

• Khan, M. Z., Amtyaz Safi., Fatima. F., Hashmi, M. U. A., Hussain, B. Siddiqui, S., Khan, S. I. & Ghalib, S. A. (2015). "An evaluation of distribution, status and abundance of freshwater turtles in the selected areas of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan". Canadian Journal of Pure & Applied Sciences. 9 (1): 3201-3219.
• Safi A, Khan M. Z. (2014). "Distribution and current population status of freshwater turtles of District Charsadda of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan". The Journal of Zoology Studies. 1 (4): 31-38.
• Hashmi, M. U. A, Khan, M. Z, Safi, A., Huda, N. (2013). "Current Status, Distribution and threats of Varanus Spp. (Varanus bengalensis & Veranus griseus) in Karachi & Thatta of Sindh". International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies. 1 (1): 34–38.

External links[edit]

• Wildlife of Pakistan - Biodiversity
• Wildlife of Pakistan - List of Reptiles
• Snakes of Pakistan with names and descriptions (in Urdu)