This list of Indiana's reptile species was compiled by the state's Herpetologist based on accepted taxonomic standards and other relevant information. It is periodically reviewed and updated. References for scientific names are listed at the bottom. Revised September 2021.
Key to Status: Special Protection (SP); Special Concern (SC); State Endangered (SE); Federal Threatened (FT); Federal Endangered (FE); Federal Candidate (FC); exotic/introduced (X); not listed (-)
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Family: Chelydridae (snapping turtles) | ||
| Eastern Snapping Turtle | Chelydra serpentina serpentina | - |
| Alligator Snapping Turtle | Macrochelys temminckii | SE |
| Family: Kinosternidae (mud and musk turtles) | ||
| Eastern Musk Turtle | Sternotherus odoratus | - |
| Eastern Mud Turtle | Kinosternon subrubrum | SE |
| Family: Emydidae (box and water turtles) | ||
| Spotted Turtle | Clemmys guttata | SE |
| Blanding's Turtle | Emydoidea blandingii | SE |
| Eastern Box Turtle | Terrapene carolina | SP, SC |
| Ornate Box Turtle | Terrapene ornata | SE |
| Northern Map Turtle | Graptemys geographica | - |
| False Map Turtle | Graptemys pseudogeographica | SC |
| Ouachita Map Turtle | Graptemys ouachitensis | - |
| Painted Turtle | Chrysemys picta | - |
| River Cooter | Pseudemys concinna | SE |
| Red-eared Slider | Trachemys scripta elegans | - |
| Family: Trionychidae (softshell turtles) | ||
| Smooth Softshell Turtle | Apalone mutica | - |
| Spiny Softshell Turtle | Apalone spinifera | - |
| Family: Phrynosomatidae (spiny lizards) | ||
| Eastern Fence Lizard | Sceloporus undulatus | - |
| Family: Anguidae (glass and alligator lizards) | ||
| Slender Glass Lizard | Ophisaurus attenuatus | - |
| Family: Teiidae (whiptails and racerunners) | ||
| Six-lined Racerunner | Aspidoscelis sexlineata | - |
| Family: Scincidae (skinks) | ||
| Common Five-lined Skink | Plestiodon fasciatus | - |
| Broadhead Skink | Plestiodon laticeps | - |
| Little Brown Skink | Scincella lateralis | - |
| Family: Natricidae (harmless, live-bearing snakes) | ||
| Butler's Gartersnake | Thamnophis butleri | SE |
| Eastern Gartersnake | Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis | - |
| Chicago Gartersnake | Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus | - |
| Common Ribbonsnake | Thamnophis saurita saurita | - |
| Northern Ribbonsnake | Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis | - |
| Plains Gartersnake | Thamnophis radix | SC |
| Western Ribbonsnake | Thamnophis proximus | SC |
| Copper-bellied Watersnake | Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta | SE, FT* |
| Diamond-backed Watersnake | Nerodia rhombifer | - |
| Northern Watersnake | Nerodia sipedon sipedon | - |
| Midland Watersnake | Nerodia sipedon pleuralis | - |
| Queensnake | Regina septemvittata | - |
| Kirtland's Snake | Clonophis kirtlandii | SE |
| Dekay's Brownsnake | Storeria dekayi | - |
| Red-bellied Snake | Storeria occipitomaculata | - |
| Western Smooth Earthsnake | Virginia valeriae elegans | - |
| Family: Colubridae (harmless, egg-laying snakes) | ||
| Blue Racer | Coluber constictor foxii | - |
| Southern Black Racer | Coluber constictor priapus | - |
| Rough Greensnake | Opheodrys aestivus | SC |
| Smooth Greensnake | Opheodrys vernalis | SE |
| Gray Ratsnake | Pantherophis spiloides | - |
| Eastern Foxsnake | Pantherophis vulpinus | - |
| Bullsnake | Pituophis catenifer sayi | - |
| Eastern Black Kingsnake | Lampropeltis nigra | - |
| Eastern Milksnake | Lampropeltis triangulum | - |
| Prairie Kingsnake | Lampropeltis calligaster | - |
| Scarletsnake | Cemophora coccinea | SE |
| Southeastern Crowned Snake | Tantilla coronata | SE |
| Family: Dipsadidae (slender, rear-fanged snakes) | ||
| Northern Ring-necked Snake | Diadophis punctatus edwardsii | - |
| Midwestern Wormsnake | Carphophis amoenus helenae | - |
| Family: Xenodontidae (robust, rear-fanged snakes) | ||
| Eastern Hog-nosed Snake | Heterodon platirhinos | - |
| Red-bellied Mudsnake | Farancia abacura | - |
| Family: Crotalidae (pit vipers) | ||
| Copperhead | Agkistrodon contortrix | - |
| Cottonmouth | Agkistrodon piscivorus | SE |
| Eastern Massasauga | Sistrurus catenatus | SE, FT |
| Timber Rattlesnake | Crotalus horridus | SE |
* Only the northern population segment of the copper-bellied watersnake is federally threatened.
References
1. Crother, B.I. (ed.). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43. 102 pp.
Support Indiana's nearly 160 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The management and conservation of these species is supported through the generosity of Hoosiers who donate to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. To donate, visit the Nongame Wildlife Fund Donation page.
