Reptile Species of La Selva Research Station, Costa Rica

A Partial Checklist of Reptiles Recorded at La Selva Research Station

Reptile Biodiversity
96Total species (partial list)
Snakes
61 species
Lizards
28 species
Turtles
5 species
Crocodilians
2 species

Explore the rich diversity of Reptile species observed at La Selva Research Station in Costa Rica, a premier herping destination.

Sources: https://tropicalstudies.org/portfolio/information-resources/, inaturalist.org, and personal observations.

Order Family Scientific name Common name
Snakes Boidae Boa imperator Central American boa
Corallus annulatus Ringed tree boa
Ungaliophis panamensis Panamanian dwarf boa
Colubridae Amastridium veliferum Rustyhead snake
Chironius flavopictus Werner's sipo
Chironius grandisquamis Ecuador sipo
Clelia clelia Common mussurana
Coniophanes fissidens Brown spotbelly
Dendrophidion percarinatum Barred forest racer
Dendrophidion vinitor Barred forest racer
Dipsas articulata American snail-eater
Dipsas bicolor Bicolor snail-eater
Drymarchon corais Yellow-tailed indigo snake
Drymobius margaritiferus Speckled racer
Drymobius melanotropis Lower montane green racer
Drymobius rhombifer Esmarald racer
Enuliophis sclateri White-headed snake
Erythrolamprus mimus Ringed snake
Geophis hoffmanni Hoffmann's earth snake
Hydromorphus concolor Costa Rica water snake
Imantodes cenchoa Blunt headed tree snake
Imantodes inornatus Yellow blunt-headed tree snake
Leptodeira annulata Banded cat-eyed snake
Leptodeira ornata Ornate cat-eyed snake
Leptodeira rhombifera Rhombic cat-eyed snake
Leptophis ahaetulla Giant parrot snake
Leptophis depressirostris Cope's parrot snake
Leptophis nebulosus Oliver's parrot snake
Leptophis occidentalis Leptophis occidentalis
Mastigodryas alternatus Central American lizard eater
Mastigodryas melanolomus Salmon-bellied racer
Ninia maculata Spotted coffee snake
Ninia sebae Red coffee snake
Nothopsis rugosus Rough coffee snake
Oxybelis aeneus Brown vine snake
Oxybelis brevirostris Cope's vine snake
Oxybelis fulgidus Green vine snake
Oxybelis koehleri Kohler's vine snake
Oxyrhopus petolarius Forest flame snake
Phrynonax poecilonotus Puffing snake
Rhadinaea decorata Adorned graceful brown snake
Scaphiodontophis venustissimus Common neckband snake
Sibon annulatus Ringed snail-eater
Sibon longifrenis Lichen-colored snail-eater
Sibon nebulatus Cloudy snail-eater
Spilotes pullatus Chicken snake
Tantilla melanocephala Black-headed snake
Tretanorhinus nigroluteus Orangebelly swamp snake
Trimetopon pliolepis Cope's tropical ground snake
Urotheca decipiens Pale ground snake
Urotheca euryzonus Black halloween snake
Urotheca guentheri Orange-bellied glasstail
Xenodon rabdocephalus False fer-de-lance
Elapidae Micrurus alleni Allens coralsnake
Micrurus mipartitus Redtail coralsnake
Micrurus mosquitensis Costa Rican coralsnake
Micrurus nigrocinctus Central American coralsnake
Viperidae Bothriechis nigroadspersus Eyelash pitviper
Bothrops asper Fer-de-lance
Lachesis stenophrys Bushmaster
Porthidium nasutum Rainforest Hognosed Pitviper
Turtles Chelydridae Chelydra acutirostris South American snapping turtle
Geoemydidae Rhinoclemmys annulata Brown wood turtle
Rhinoclemmys funerea Black wood turtle
Kinosternidae Kinosternon angustipons Central American mud turtle
Kinosternon leucostomum White-lipped mud turtle
Crocodilians Crocodylidae Crocodylus acutus American crocodile
Alligatoridae Caiman crocodilus Spectacled caiman
Lizards Dactyloidae Anolis biporcatus Neotropical green anole
Anolis capito Pug-nosed Anole
Anolis carpenteri Carpenter anole
Anolis cupreus Copper anole
Anolis humilis Humble anole
Anolis lemurinus Ghost anole
Anolis limifrons Border anole
Anolis lionotus Lion anole
Anolis oxylophus Stream anole
Anolis pentaprion Lichen anole
Corytophanidae Basiliscus plumifrons Emerald basilisk
Basiliscus vittatus Brown basilisk
Corytophanes cristatus Helmeted basilisk
Diploglossidae Diploglossus bilobatus Green galliwasp
Diploglossus monotropis Rainbow galliwasp
Siderolamprus hylaius Siderolamprus hylaius
Iguanidae Iguana iguana Green iguana
Phyllodactylidae Thecadactylus rapicauda Turnip-tail gecko
Polychrotidae Polychrus gutturosus Berthold's monkey lizard
Scincidae Marisora unimarginata Central American mabuya
Scincella cherriei Brown forest skink
Sphaerodactylidae Gonatodes albogularis Yellow-headed gecko
Lepidoblepharis xanthostigma Yellow-spotted gecko
Sphaerodactylus homolepis Caribbean least gecko
Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus Spotted least gecko
Teiidae Holcosus festivus Middle American ameiva
Holcosus quadrilineatus Four-lined whiptail
Xantusiidae Lepidophyma flavimaculatum Yellow-spotted night lizard