Reptiles and Amphibians of the Jornada

Reptiles and amphibians present on the Jornada del Muerto including the Dona Ana Mountains.

ORDER SQUAMATA (snakes & lizards)
Family Leptotyphlopidae
Western Blind Snake Leptotyphlops humilis
Texas Blind Snake Leptotyphlops dulcis
Family Colubridae
Western Hognose Snake Heterodon nasicus
Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum
Desert Striped Whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus
Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake Salvadora hexalepis
Trans-Pecos Rat Snake Bogertophis subocularis
Glossy Snake Arizona elegans
Gopher Snake (Bullsnake) Pituophis melanoleucus
Desert Kingsnake (Sonora Kingsnake) Lampropeltis getula
Long-nosed Snake Rhinocheilus lecontei
Western Hook-nosed Snake Gyalopion canum
Ground Snake Sonora siiannulata
Plains Black-headed Snake Tantilla nigriceps
Lyre Snake Trimorphodon biscutatus
Night Snake Hypsiglena torquata
Family Viperidae (poisonous)
Massasauga Sistrurus catenatus
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox
Rock Rattlesnake Crotalus lepidus
Black-tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossus
Prairie (Western) Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis
Family Iguanidae
Collared Lizard Crotaphytus collaris
Leopard Lizard Gambelia wislizenii
Greater Earless Lizard Cophosaurus texanus
Lesser Earless Lizard Holbrookia maculata
Texas Horned Lizard Phrynosoma cornutum
Roundtail Horned Lizard Phrynosoma modestum
Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister
Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus
Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus
Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana
Family Scincidae
Great Plains Skink Eumeces obsoletus
Family Teiidae
Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail Cniidophorus exanguis
Little Striped Whiptail Cniidophorus inornatus
New Mexico Whiptail Cniidophorus neomexicanus
Checkered Whiptail Cniidophorus grahmii (formerly C. tesselatus)
Western Whiptail Cniidophorus tigris
Desert Grassland Whiptail Cniidophorus uniparens
ORDER TESTUDINATA or CHELONIA (turtles)
Family Testudinidae (Iydidae)
Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornata
ORDER ANURA (frogs & toads)
Family Bufonidae
Great Plains Toad Bufo cognatus
Green Toad Bufo debilis
Red-spotted Toad Bufo punctatus
Woodhouse's Toad Bufo woodhousei
Family Pelobatidae
Couch's Spadefoot Scaphiopus couchii
Plains Spadefoot Spea bombifrons
New Mexico Spadefoot Spea multiplicata
ORDER CAUDATA (salamanders)
Family Ambystomatidae
Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum

Range verification provided by Paul Hyder (NMSU) and suppliented by Dona Ana County distribution maps in: Williamson, M.A., P.W. Hyder, J.S. Applegarth. 1994. Snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, toads, & salamanders of New Mexico. Sunstone Press, Santa Fe. NM. 176 p.

7/13/2003 [entry by John Anderson]
Cniidophorus tesselatus changed to C. grahmii as per David Lightfoot with reference to Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press.