List of reptiles of Australia facts for kids

The perentie is Australia's largest lizard.

Australia is home to many different kinds of reptiles. These are cold-blooded animals that aren't birds. You can find them all over the continent. Australia has three main groups of reptiles: turtles (Testudines), lizards and snakes (Squamata), and crocodiles (Crocodilia). The only group of reptiles missing from Australia is the tuataras, which live only in New Zealand.

Australia has over 860 different reptile species! That's a lot compared to other places, like North America, which has about 280. Most of Australia's reptiles are lizards and snakes. They especially thrive in Australia's dry, desert-like areas. Here, a special grass called spinifex helps them stay cool and moist.

Some of Australia's reptiles can be dangerous. The biggest reptile in the world, the saltwater crocodile, lives along Australia's northern coast.

Amazing Australian Reptiles

Australia has many unique reptile families. Let's explore some of them!

Turtles and Tortoises

There are four families of turtles and tortoises in Australia.

• Sea Turtles (Cheloniidae): These are the big turtles that live in the ocean. A well-known example is the Green sea turtle.
• Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelyidae): This is a very large sea turtle with a leathery shell, not a hard one.
• Austro-American Side-necked Turtles (Chelidae): These turtles pull their heads into their shells by bending their necks sideways. The Common snakeneck turtle is one example.
• Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelyidae): This unique turtle has a snout that looks like a pig's nose!

Lizards and Snakes

This group, called Squamata, has 12 families in Australia. It includes many different lizards and snakes.

• Geckos (Gekkonidae): These are small lizards known for their sticky feet, which help them climb walls. The Thick-tailed gecko is an Australian type.
• Legless Lizards (Pygopodidae): Even though they look like snakes, these are actually lizards without legs! Burton's legless-lizard is an example.
• Dragon Lizards (Agamidae): These lizards often have spiky scales or beard-like features. The Eastern bearded dragon is a popular one.
• Monitors or Goannas (Varanidae): These are large, powerful lizards. The Lace monitor is a common Australian goanna.
• Skinks (Scincidae): Skinks are a very diverse group of lizards, often with smooth, shiny scales. The Western blue-tongued skink is famous for its blue tongue.
• Blind Snakes (Typhlopidae): These snakes are small and burrow underground. They have tiny eyes and look a bit like worms.
• Pythons (Pythonidae): These are non-venomous snakes that squeeze their prey. The Green tree python is a beautiful example.
• Colubrid Snakes (Colubridae): This is a very large family of snakes found worldwide. The Brown tree snake is one found in Australia.
• Elapid Snakes (Elapidae): This family includes many venomous snakes, like the Common death adder.
• Sea Snakes (Hydrophiidae): These snakes live in the ocean and are often venomous.
• Sea Kraits (Laticaudidae): These are also sea snakes, but they spend some time on land too.
• File Snakes (Acrochordidae): These snakes have rough, loose skin and live in water. The Arafura file snake is an example.

Crocodiles

Australia has one family of crocodiles.

• Crocodiles (Crocodylidae): This family includes both the huge saltwater crocodile and the smaller freshwater crocodile.

See also

• List of reptiles of Tasmania
• List of reptiles of Western Australia
• List of Australian and Antarctic dinosaurs

Images for kids

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  A Green Sea Turtle swimming.

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  A Leatherback Sea Turtle in the ocean.

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  An Eastern Long-necked Turtle.

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  A Pig-nosed Turtle.

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  A Thick-tailed Gecko.

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  Burton's Legless-lizard.

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  An Eastern Bearded Dragon.

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  A Lace Monitor (Goanna).

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  A Western Blue-tongued Skink.

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  A Green Tree Python coiled on a branch.

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  A Brown Tree Snake.

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  A Common Death Adder.

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  An Arafura File Snake.

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  A Freshwater Crocodile.