# List of reptiles of Pennsylvania

This is a list of reptiles of Pennsylvania as listed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. As of 2024, there are 38 native reptiles in Pennsylvania. The species are listed as in the PFBC list, with the exception of introduced species, which are derived from other sources. Notes on ranges provided by Pennsylvania Amphibian & Reptile Survey.

## Testudines - turtles and tortoises

Family: Chelydridae - snapping turtles
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| | Common snapping turtle | Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758) | Abundant | | Statewide |
Family: Emydidae - pond turtles
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| Midland painted turtle | Chrysemys picta marginata Agassiz, 1857 | Abundant | Subspecies of widespread painted turtle | Statewide, but primarily west of the Appalachians |
| Eastern painted turtle | Chrysemys picta picta (Schneider, 1783) | Abundant | Subspecies of widespread painted turtle | Primarily east of the Appalachians |
| Spotted turtle | Clemmys guttata (Schneider, 1792) | Species of special concern | | Much of the west, as well as some of the counties in the northwest and Westmoreland County in the southwest |
| Wood turtle | Glyptemys insculpta (Le Conte, 1830) | Species of special concern | | Statewide, but rarer to the west |
| Bog turtle | Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Schoepff, 1801) | Endangered | | Southeastern counties |
| Blanding's turtle | Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838) | Candidate species | | Erie County |
| Northern map turtle | Graptemys geographica (Lesueur, 1817) | Abundant | | Statewide, except in Allegheny National Forest and northern central counties |
| False map turtle | Graptemys pseudogeographica pseudogeographica (Gray, 1831) | Not evaluated | Several observations on the citizen science website iNaturalist, also a 1911 record in the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History | Primarily around the Delaware River, also seen near Pittsburgh |
| Northern diamondback terrapin | Malaclemys terrapin terrapin Schoepff, 1793 | Incidental | Nominate subspecies | Rarely strays into southeast through Delaware River |
| River cooter | Pseudemys concinna (Le Conte, 1830) | Nonnative | Introduced from pet trade | Primarily southeast, some southwest records |
| Northern red-bellied cooter | Pseudemys rubriventris (Le Conte, 1830) | Threatened | | Southeastern counties |
| Eastern box turtle | Terrapene carolina carolina (Linnaeus, 1758) | Species of special concern | Nominate subspecies | Statewide but more abundant to the south |
| Red-eared slider | Trachemys scripta elegans (Wied-Neuwied, 1839) | Invasive | Listed as one of the world's worst invasive alien species | Statewide except northern central counties |
| Yellow-bellied slider | Trachemys scripta scripta (Thunberg, 1792) | Invasive | Nominate subspecies of pond slider | Primarily southeast, but scattered observations throughout southern and central parts of the state |
Family: Kinosternidae - mud and musk turtles
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| | Southeastern mud turtle | Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum Bonnaterre, 1789 | Endangered | Nominate subspecies | Bucks County |
| | Eastern musk turtle | Sternotherus odoratus (Latreille, 1802) | Abundant | | Primarily in the northwestern and southeastern counties, some scattered records in central, northwestern, and southeastern counties |
Family: Trionychidae - softshell turtles
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| | Midland smooth softshell turtle | Apalone mutica mutica (Lesueur, 1827) | Extirpated | Nominate subspecies | Formerly found in southwest, now extirpated |
| | Eastern spiny softshell | Apalone spinifera spinifera (Lesueur, 1827) | Abundant | Nominate subspecies | Eastern counties, Delaware River and its tributaries, scattered records in between |

## Squamata - snakes and lizards

Order: Squamata
Clade: Sauria/Lacertilia - lizards
Family: Gekkonidae - geckos
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| | Mediterranean house gecko | Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Nonnative | | Southeastern counties |
Family: Lacertidae - wall lizards
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| | Northern Italian wall lizard | Podarcis siculus campestris (Rafinesque, 1810) | Nonnative | | Philadelphia County, Montgomery County, and Bucks County |
Family: Phrynosomatidae - earless, spiny, tree, side-blotched and horned lizards
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| | Eastern fence lizard | Sceloporus undulatus (Bosc & Daudin, 1801) | Species of special concern | | Southern and central counties |
Family: Scincidae - skinks
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| Northern coal skink | Plestiodon anthracinus anthracinus Baird, 1850 | Species of special concern | Nominate subspecies | Northern and central counties |
| Common five-lined skink | Plestiodon fasciatus (Linnaeus, 1758) | Abundant | | Essentially statewide, but more common in the northwest, central, and southeast |
| Broad-headed skink | Plestiodon laticeps (Schneider, 1801) | Candidate species | | Adams County, Lancaster County, and Chester County |
Clade: Serpentes - snakes
Family: Colubridae - colubrid snakes
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Notes | Distribution |
| Eastern worm snake | Carphophis amoenus amoenus (Say, 1825) | Species of special concern | | South-central and southeastern counties |
| Kirtland's snake | Clonophis kirtlandii (Kennicott, 1856) | Endangered | | Butler County, Allegheny County, and Forest County |
| Northern black racer | Coluber constrictor constrictor Linnaeus, 1758 | Abundant | Nominate subspecies | Statewide except northernmost counties |
| Northern ring-necked snake | Diadophis punctatus edwardsii (Merrem, 1820) | Abundant | Subspecies of widespread ring-necked snake | Statewide |
| Central ratsnake | Pantherophis alleghaniensis (Holbrook, 1836) | Abundant | The taxonomy of the genus Pantherophis, and especially P. alleghaniensis and P. quadrivittatus, are in flux, and the names and validity of this species are prone to change | Generally west of the Appalachians |
| Eastern hog-nosed snake | Heterodon platirhinos Latreille, 1801 | Species of special concern | | Central and eastern counties |
| Eastern milksnake | Lampropeltis triangulum (Lacépède, 1789) | Abundant | When subspecies are recognized, the Pennsylvania subspecies is Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum | Statewide |
| Northern watersnake | Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Linnaeus, 1758) | Abundant | | Statewide |
| Northern rough green snake | Opheodrys aestivus aestivus (Linnaeus, 1766) | Endangered | | Lancaster County and Chester County |
| Smooth green snake | Opheodrys vernalis (Harlan, 1827) | Species of special concern | | Statewide except southeast |
| Queensnake | Regina septemvittata (Say, 1825) | Species of special concern | | Western and southeastern counties |
| DeKay's brown snake | Storeria dekayi (Holbrook, 1836) | Abundant | | Statewide |
| Northern red-bellied snake | Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata (Storer, 1839) | Abundant | Nominate subspecies | Statewide except southeast |
| Short-headed garter snake | Thamnophis brachystoma (Cope, 1892) | Species of special concern | | Northwestern counties, introduced to Pittsburgh area |
| Eastern ribbonsnake | Thamnophis saurita saurita (Linnaeus, 1766) | Species of special concern | Subspecies of common ribbon snake | Central counties eastward, some records north of Pittsburgh |
| Northern ribbon snake | Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis Rossman, 1963 | Species of special concern | Subspecies of common ribbon snake | Northwestern counties and Tioga County |
| Eastern garter snake | Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis (Linnaeus, 1758) | Abundant | Nominate subspecies | Statewide |
| Eastern smooth earth snake | Virginia valeriae valeriae Baird and Girard, 1853 | Species of special concern | Subspecies of smooth earth snake | Lancaster County and Chester County |
| Mountain earth snake | Virginia valeriae pulchra (Richmond, 1954) | Species of special concern | Subspecies of smooth earth snake | Central counties |
Family: Viperidae - pit vipers
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Distribution |
| Eastern copperhead | Agkistrodon contortrix (Linnaeus, 1766) | Species of special concern | Most of state except westernmost and northernmost counties |
| Timber rattlesnake | Crotalus horridus Linnaeus, 1758 | Species of special concern | Most of state except western and southeastern counties |
| Eastern massasauga | Sistrurus catenatus (Rafinesque, 1818) | Endangered | Venango County and Butler County |

## Nonestablished species

Reptiles released from the pet trade can be seen in Pennsylvania. Some more established than others. Released pets can eventually become established breeding populations, such as in the case of the red-eared slider, which is now illegal to own in many countries.
* Testudines
** Three-toed box turtle (Terrapene triunguis) - seen near Philadelphia and Allentown
** Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) - two records of escaped pets from southeast Pennsylvania
** Chinese softshell turtle - an adult was found in the Delaware River. This species is present in New York City and has potential to become an invasive species.
** Florida red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni) - recorded by PARS in Chester County
* Sauria
** Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) - recorded in Franklin County by PARS
** Tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) - has a handful of singular records in the central and southeastern parts of the state
** Brown anole (Anolis sagrei) - primarily around urban areas, notably Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Lancaster
** Green anole (Anolis carolinensis) - around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
* Serpentes
** Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) - escapee observed north of Pittsburgh and in Philadelphia