List of reptiles of North Carolina facts for kids
North Carolina is home to many amazing reptiles! This article will tell you about the different kinds of reptiles you can find here, like alligators, turtles, lizards, and snakes. The information comes from experts at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. You'll see both their common names (what people usually call them) and their scientific names (the special names scientists use).
Some reptiles listed here are introduced. This means they were brought to North Carolina by people, and they don't naturally live here. You'll see an (I) next to their name. Also, some snakes are venomous, meaning they can inject venom (a type of poison) if they bite. These will have a (V) next to their name. It's always important to be careful and respectful around all wildlife!
Contents
Alligators in North Carolina
Alligators are the largest reptiles you'll find in North Carolina! They belong to a group called Crocodilia.
- American alligator Alligator mississippiensis
Awesome Turtles of North Carolina
North Carolina has many different kinds of turtles, both on land and in the water. They are all part of the Testudines group.
Land and Freshwater Turtles
These turtles live in or near freshwater, or on land.
- Snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina
- Striped mud turtle Kinosternon baurii
- Southeastern mud turtle Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum
- Stripe-necked musk turtle Sternotherus minor peltifer
- Eastern musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus
- Eastern painted turtle Chrysemys picta picta
- Spotted turtle Clemmys guttata
- Eastern chicken turtle Deirochelys reticularia reticularia
- Bog turtle Glyptemys muhlenbergii
- Northern map turtle Graptemys geographica
- Diamond-backed terrapin Malaclemys terrapin
- Eastern river cooter Pseudemys concinna concinna
- Coastal plain cooter Pseudemys concinna floridana
- Northern red-bellied cooter Pseudemys rubriventris
- Woodland box turtle Terrapene carolina carolina
- Red-eared slider Trachemys scripta elegans (I)
- Yellow-bellied slider Trachemys scripta scripta
- Cumberland slider Trachemys scripta troostii
- Gulf Coast spiny softshell Apalone spinifera aspera
- Eastern spiny softshell Apalone spinifera spinifera
Sea Turtles
These amazing turtles live in the ocean and visit North Carolina's coast.
- Leatherback sea turtle Dermochelys coriacea
- Loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta
- Green sea turtle Chelonia mydas
- Atlantic hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbricata imbricata
- Kemp's ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii
Lizards of North Carolina
Lizards are fascinating reptiles that belong to the Squamata group, just like snakes.
Geckos
- Mediterranean gecko Hemidactylus turcicus (I)
Iguanas and Relatives
- Green anole Anolis carolinensis
- Texas horned lizard Phrynosoma cornutum (I)
- Eastern fence lizard Sceloporus undulatus
Skinks and Glass Lizards
- Eastern six-lined racerunner Aspidoscelis sexlineata sexlineata
- Coal skink Plestiodon anthracinus
- Common five-lined skink Plestiodon fasciatus
- Southeastern five-lined skink Plestiodon inexpectatus
- Broad-headed skink Plestiodon laticeps
- Little brown skink Scincella lateralis
- Eastern slender glass lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus
- Mimic glass lizard Ophisaurus mimicus
- Eastern glass lizard Ophisaurus ventralis
Snakes of North Carolina
North Carolina is home to many different kinds of snakes, both harmless and venomous. All snakes are also part of the Squamata group.
Non-Venomous Snakes
Most snakes in North Carolina are not venomous. They play an important role in the ecosystem.
- Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus amoenus
- Northern scarletsnake Cemophora coccinea copei
- Northern black racer Coluber constrictor constrictor
- Eastern coachwhip Coluber flagellum flagellum
- Northern ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsii
- Southern ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus punctatus
- Eastern mudsnake Farancia abacura abacura
- Common rainbow snake Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma
- Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula
- Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos
- Southern hog-nosed snake Heterodon simus
- Scarlet kingsnake Lampropeltis elapsoides
- Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula
- Northern mole kingsnake Lampropeltis rhombomaculata
- Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum
- Carolina swampsnake Liodytes pygaea paludis
- Eastern glossy swampsnake Liodytes rigida rigida
- Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster
- Banded watersnake Nerodia fasciata fasciata
- Northern watersnake Nerodia sipedon sipedon
- Carolina watersnake Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi
- Brown watersnake Nerodia taxispilota
- Northern rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus aestivus
- Smooth greensnake Opheodrys vernalis
- Eastern ratsnake Pantherophis alleghaniensis
- Red cornsnake Pantherophis guttatus
- Gray ratsnake Pantherophis spiloides
- Northern pinesnake Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus
- Queensnake Regina septemvittata
- Pine woods littersnake Rhadinaea flavilata
- Dekay's brownsnake Storeria dekayi
- Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata
- Southeastern crowned snake Tantilla coronata
- Common ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita saurita
- Eastern gartersnake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
- Eastern smooth earthsnake Virginia valeriae valeriae
Venomous Snakes
It's important to know which snakes are venomous so you can give them space. If you see one, admire it from a safe distance!
- Harlequin coralsnake Micrurus fulvius (V)
- Eastern copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix (V)
- Northern cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus (V)
- Eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus (V)
- Timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus (V)
- Carolina pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius miliarius (V)
