Reptiles of
Kentucky [USA]

Related checklists:  USA

Bibliography of the reptiles of Kentucky Taxonomic history of the reptiles of Kentucky Introduced species
Home - Taxonomy - Geography - Biodiversity - Literature - Purchase RepFocus Recent updates
Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. www.repfocus.dk (Compilation date: 14th April, 2023).

Checklist
General remarks: The list includes only formally described species. Newly discovered, but still unnamed species are excluded. However, unnamed species or species unassigned to species level are included, if they are the only representatives of their genus in the region. Species counts exclude extinct and introduced species. Doubtful records, typically older voucher specimens of uncertain origin, have been excluded if considered questionable, as are records based on sources considered unreliable or controversial.
Note: Your comments to the checklist (omissions, errors, etc.) are welcomed, preferably if they are provided with reliable references. If possible, please attach a pdf file of the relevant reference to an email addressed to:
Lizards (Sauria)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Anguidae (Slowworms, etc.)
Genus Ophisaurus (North American Glass Lizards)
 
Ophisaurus attenuatus

Slender Glass Lizard

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Holman 1971
 Family Phrynosomatidae (North American Lesser Iguanas)
Genus Sceloporus (Northern Spiny Lizards)
 
Sceloporus undulatus

Eastern Fence Lizard

Barbour 1971
 Family Scincidae (Skinks)
Genus Plestiodon (Blue-tailed Skinks)
 
Plestiodon anthracinus

Coal Skink

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Moriarty & Evans 1983
 
Plestiodon fasciatus

North American Five-lined Skink

Barbour 1971
 
Plestiodon inexpectatus

Southeastern Five-lined Skink

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Steiner 1986
 
Plestiodon laticeps

North American Broad-headed Skink

Barbour 1971
Genus Scincella (South Asian and American Ground Skinks)
 
Scincella lateralis

North American Ground Skink

Barbour 1971 Brooks 1975
 Family Teiidae (Greater Tejus)
Genus Aspidoscelis (Northern Whiptails)
 
Aspidoscelis sexlineatus

Six-lined Whiptail

Barbour 1971

Snakes (Serpentes)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Colubridae (Typical Snakes or Colubrids)
Genus Carphophis (North American Worm Snakes)
 
Carphophis amoenus

Eastern Worm Snake

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Cemophora (North American Scarlet Snakes)
 
Cemophora coccinea

Eastern Scarlet Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Williams 1985 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Clonophis (Ohio Valley Water Snake)
 
Clonophis kirtlandii

Ohio Valley Water Snake

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Rossman & Powell 1985 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Coluber (North American Racer)
 
Coluber constrictor

North American Racer

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Diadophis (Ring-necked Snake)
 
Diadophis punctatus

Ring-necked Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Farancia (American Mud and Rainbow Snakes)
 
Farancia abacura

American Mud Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Heterodon (North American Hognose Snakes)
 
Heterodon platirhinos

Eastern Hognose Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Lampropeltis (King Snakes and Milk Snakes)
 
Lampropeltis calligaster

Prarie Kingsnake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Conant & Collins 1998 Ernst & Ernst 2003 Markel 1990 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Lampropeltis elapsoides

Scarlet Kingsnake

Behler & King 1979 Collins 1964 [as doliata] Markel 1990 Meade 1991 Ruane 2015 Ruane, Bryson, Pyron & Burbrink 2014
 
Lampropeltis holbrooki

Speckled Kingsnake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Lampropeltis nigra

Eastern Black Kingsnake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Lampropeltis triangulum

Eastern Milk Snake

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Collins 1964 Markel 1990 Meade 1991 Ruane, Bryson, Pyron & Burbrink 2014 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Masticophis (North American Whip Snakes and Coachwhips)
 
Masticophis flagellum

Common Coachwhip

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Collins & Hirschfeld 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wilson 1973 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Nerodia (North American Water Snakes)
 
Nerodia cyclopion

Western Green Water Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Gibbons & Dorcas 2004 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Nerodia erythrogaster

Plain-bellied Water Snake

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Collins 1964 Gibbons & Dorcas 2004 McCranie 1990 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Nerodia fasciata

North American Banded Water Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991
 
Nerodia rhombifer

Diamondback Water Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Gibbons & Dorcas 2004 McAllister 1985 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Nerodia sipedon

Northern Water Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Gibbons & Dorcas 2004 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Opheodrys (North American Green Snakes)
 
Opheodrys aestivus

Rough Green Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Pantherophis (North American Rat Snakes)
 
Pantherophis alleghaniensis

Grey Rat Snake

Barbour 1971 [as spiloides] Burbrink 2001 [as spiloides] Collins 1964 [as spiloides] Schulz 1996 [as spiloides]
 
Pantherophis guttatus

Red Corn Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Dowling 1952 Meade 1991 Schulz 1996 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Pantherophis quadrivittatus

Eastern Rat Snake

Barbour 1971 [as Elaphe o. obsoleta] Collins 1964 [as obsoletus] Meade 1991 [as obsoletus] Schulz 1996 [as obsoletus] Wright & Wright 1952 [as obsoletus]
Genus Pituophis (Bullsnakes, Pine Snakes and Gopher Snakes)
 
Pituophis melanoleucus

Common Pine Snake

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Regina (Queen Snakes)
 
Regina septemvittata

Queen Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Gibbons & Dorcas 2004 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Storeria (North American Brown Snakes)
 
Storeria dekayi

Common Brown Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Storeria occipitomaculata

North American Red-bellied Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Tantilla (American Centipede Snakes)
 
Tantilla coronata

Southeastern Centipede Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Thamnophis (North American Garter Snakes and Ribbon Snakes)
 
Thamnophis proximus

Western Ribbon Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991
 
Thamnophis saurita

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Thamnophis sirtalis

Common Garter Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Virginia (Smooth Earth Snake)
 
Virginia valeriae

Smooth Earth Snake

Barbour 1971 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Powell, Collins & Fish 1992 Wright & Wright 1952
 Family Viperidae (Vipers)
Genus Agkistrodon (American Copperheads, Cottonmouths, and Cantils)
 
Agkistrodon contortrix

Eastern Copperhead

Barbour 1971 Campbell & Lamar 2004 Collins 1964 Gloyd & Conant 1990 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
 
Agkistrodon piscivorus

Northern Cottonmouth

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Campbell & Lamar 2004 Collins 1964 Ernst 1992 Gloyd & Conant 1990 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Crotalus (Typical Rattlesnakes)
 
Crotalus horridus

Timber Rattlesnake

Barbour 1971 Campbell & Lamar 2004 Collins 1964 Meade 1991 Wright & Wright 1952
Genus Sistrurus (Pygmy Rattlesnakes)
 
Sistrurus miliarius

North American Pygmy Rattlesnake

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Campbell & Lamar 2004 Ernst 1992 Meade 1991 Snyder, Burchfield & Nall 1967

Turtles (Testudines)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Chelydridae (American Snapping Turtles)
Genus Chelydra (American Snapping Turtles)
 
Chelydra serpentina

North American Snapping Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
Genus Macrochelys (Alligator Snapping Turtles)
 
Macrochelys temminckii

Western Alligator Snapping Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 Family Emydidae (Western Pond Turtles)
Genus Chrysemys (American Painted Turtle)
 
Chrysemys picta

American Painted Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
Genus Graptemys (Map Turtles)
 
Graptemys geographica

Northern Map Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 
Graptemys ouachitensis

Ouachita Map Turtle

Barbour 1971 Brown, Temple-Miller, Roosenburg & White 2012 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 
Graptemys pseudogeographica

False Map Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
Genus Pseudemys (Cooter Turtles)
 
Pseudemys concinna

River Cooter

Barbour 1971 Iverson 1992 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
Genus Terrapene (American Box Turtles)
 
Terrapene carolina

Eastern Box Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
Genus Trachemys (Slider Turtles)
 
Trachemys scripta

Common Slider

Barbour 1971 Behler & King 1979 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 Family Kinosternidae (American Mud and Musk Turtles)
Genus Kinosternon (American Mud Turtles)
 
Kinosternon subrubrum

Common Mud Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
Genus Sternotherus (North American Musk Turtles)
 
Sternotherus odoratus

Common Musk Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 Family Trionychidae (Softshell Turtles)
Genus Apalone (North American Softshell Turtles)
 
Apalone mutica

Smooth Softshell Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 
Apalone spinifera

Spiny Softshell Turtle

Barbour 1971 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021