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FAUNA PARAGUAY LIST OF THE REPTILES OF PARAGUAY
List of the Reptiles of Paraguay


The following is a list of the 180 reptile species currently accepted on the Paraguayan list. The scientific and English names are given, as well as the descriptor and date of description. Global conservation status is given in red after the species name and follows the 2008 IUCN red list categories. Numbers in brackets after the order and family names refer to the number of species recorded in Paraguay.
To download the latest review of the distribution and status of the Paraguayan reptile fauna click the link below
Cacciali P, Scott N, Aquino Ortiz AL, Fitzgerald L, Smith P 2016. Annotated taxonomic and distributional checklist of the reptiles of Paraguay. Special Publications of the Museum of Southwestern Biology 11: 1-373.
Click on species links for access to its image gallery.
Click on the images to see full-size photos.
Click on the links in the descriptor name to download the original species description.
For a breakdown of the taxonomy of Paraguayan reptiles and the characteristics of the taxonomic groups click here or on the links in the list below.
Keys to Paraguayan species can be found in the family descriptions by following the family links.
The epithet EN denotes a species endemic to Paraguay.
Eco-region endemism is indicated by the following codes:
CH Chaco; AF Atlantic Forest; CE Cerrado; MG Mesopotamian Grasslands; PA Pantanal.
Each photo in the FAUNA Paraguay database is coded for citation purposes. Complete database available on request.

CLASS REPTILIA

SUBCLASS ANAPSIDA

ORDER TESTUDINES

Suborder Pleurodira

Family Chelidae (7) Turtles
Subfamily Chelinae
PANTANAL SWAMP TURTLE Acanthochelys macrocephala (Rhodin, Mittermeier & McMorris, 1984) LR/nt
CHACO SIDENECK TURTLE Acanthochelys pallidipectoris (Freiberg, 1945)
VU/A1c+D1
SOUTHERN TOAD-HEADED TURTLE Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Bour, 1973)
LR/nt
GEOFFROY´S SIDE-NECKED TURTLE Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) Unlisted
SPOTTED-BELLIED SIDE-NECKED TURTLE Phrynops hilarii (Duméril & Bibron, 1835)
Unlisted
WILLIAM´S SIDE-NECKED TURTLE Phrynops williamsi Rhodin & Mittermeier, 1983
Unlisted

Subfamily Hydromedusinae
SNAKE-NECKED TURTLE Hydromedusa tectifera (Cope, 1869) Unlisted

Suborder Cryptodira

Infraorder Chelonioidea

Superfamily Testudinoidea
Family Testudinidae (2) Tortoises
RED-FOOTED TORTOISE Chelonoidis carbonaria (Spix, 1824)
Unlisted
ARGENTINE TORTOISE Chelonoidis chilensis (Freiberg, 1973)
VU/A1cd

Infraorder Trionichoidea (1)
Superfamily Kinosternoidea
Family Kinosternidae (1) Mud Turtles
Subfamily Kinosterninae
SCORPION MUD TURTLE Kinosternon scorpioides  (Linnaeus, 1766) Unlisted

SUBCLASS DIAPSIDA

Infraclass Archosauria
ORDER CROCODYLIA

Family Alligatoridae (3) Caiman

BROAD-NOSED CAIMAN Caiman latirostris (Daudin, 1802)
LR/lc
SPECTACLED CAIMAN Caiman yacare (Daudin, 1802)
Lr/lc - Yacare
DWARF CAIMAN Paleosuchus palpebrosus (Cuvier, 1807)
LR/lc

Infraclass Lepidosauria
ORDER SQUAMATA

Suborder Sauria

Infraorder Iguania

Family Iguanidae (1) Iguanas
GREEN IGUANA Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted

Family Dactyloidae (1) Dactyloid Anoles
CE LINED ANOLE Norops meridionalis Boettger, 1885 Unlisted

Family Leiosauridae (1) Leiosaurid Anoles
LONG-TAILED TREE LIZARD Anisolepis longicauda (Boulenger, 1891)
Unlisted

Family Polychrotidae (1) Anoles

POINT-NOSED FALSE-CHAMELEON Polychrus acutirostris Spix, 1825 Unlisted

Family Liolaemidae (2) Sand Lizards
AZARA´S SAND LIZARD Liolaemus azarai (Ávila, 2003)
Unlisted
CHACO SAND LIZARD Liolaemus chacoensis (Shreve, 1948)
Unlisted

Family Tropiduridae (8) Spiny Lizards
BROWN LEAF LIZARD Stenocercus caducus (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
WESTERN COLLARED SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus etheridgei Cei, 1982
Unlisted
ENGUARANI SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus guarani (Álvarez, Cei & Scolaro, 1994)
Unlisted
CE ENLAGUNA BLANCA SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus lagunablanca Carvalho, 2016 Critically endangered
CHACO SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus spinulosus (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
CE ENTARARA SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus tarara Carvalho, 2016 Unlisted
ENYBYCUÍ SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus teyumirim Carvalho, 2016 Data deficient
EASTERN COLLARED SPINY LIZARD Tropidurus torquatus (Wied-Neuwied, 1820)
Unlisted

Infraorder Scleroglossa


Microorder Gekkota
Family Gekkonidae (2) Gekkonid Geckos

HOUSE GECKO Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnčs, 1818)
Unlisted - Lagartija
WETZEL´S DIURNAL GECKO Lygodactylus wetzeli (Smith, Martin & Swain, 1977) Unlisted

Family Phyllodactylidae (4) Phyllodactylid Geckos
BORELLI´S STRAIGHT-TOED GECKO Homonota borellii (Peracca, 1897) Unlisted
CHACO STRAIGHT-TOED GECKO Homonota fasciata (Duméril & Bibron, 1836)
Unlisted
ENROCK STRAIGHT-TOED GECKO Homonota rupicola Caccialli, Avila & Bauer, 2007
Unlisted
CHACO LEAF-FOOTED GECKO Phyllopezus pollicaris (Spix, 1825)
Unlisted

Microorder Scincomorpha


Superfamily Scincoidea

Family Mabuyidae (4) Skinks
Subfamily Lygosominae

LINED SKINK Aspronema dorsivittatum (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
BLACK-SPOTTED SKINK Copeoglossum nigropunctatum (Greer et al, 2000) Unlisted
BRIDLED SKINK Notomabuya frenata (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
STRIPED SKINK Manciola guaporicola Dunn, 1935
Unlisted

Superfamily Lacertoidea

Family Gymnophthalmidae (6) Spectacled Lizards

CE BRESSLAU´S LEGLESS LIZARD Bachia bresslaui (Amaral, 1935) Unlisted
BLUNT-SCALED SPECTACLED LIZARD Cercosaura ocellata Wagler, 1830
Unlisted
SCHREIBER´S SPECTACLED LIZARD Cercosaura schreibersii Wiegmann, 1834
Unlisted
RED-BELLIED COLOBOSAUR Colobosaura modesta (Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862)
Unlisted
MAXIMILIAN´S BLUE-TAILED MICROTEIID Micrablepharus maximiliani (Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862)
Unlisted
RED-TAILED VANZOSAUR Vanzosaura rubricauda (Boulenger, 1902)
Unlisted

Family Teiidae (9) Teiids
GREEN JUNGLE RUNNER Ameiva ameiva (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted
SPOTTED WHIPTAIL LIZARD Ameivula abalosi (Spix, 1825)
Unlisted
PA CAIMAN LIZARD Dracaena paraguayensis Amaral, 1950 Unlisted
GREEN KENTROPYX Kentropyx viridistriga Boulenger, 1894
Unlisted
OCELLATED WHIPTAIL LIZARDTeius oculatus (D'Orbigny & Bibron, 1837)
Unlisted
FOUR-TOED WHIPTAIL LIZARD Teius teyou (Daudin, 1802)
Unlisted
YELLOW TEGU Salvator duseni Lönnberg, 1896
Unlisted - Teju guazu guavira
BLACK TEGU Salvator merianae (Duméril & Bibron, 1839)
Unlisted - Teju guazu
RED TEGU Salvator rufescens (Günther, 1871)
Unlisted - Teju guazu pyta

Microorder Anguinomorpha

Superfamily Anguinoidea
Family Anguidae (3) Legless Lizards

Subfamily Diploglossinae

FRAGILE WORM LIZARD Ophiodes fragilis (Raddi, 1820)
Unlisted
SILVER LINED WORM LIZARD Ophiodes intermedius (Boulenger, 1894)
Unlisted
GREEN LINED WORM LIZARD Ophiodes striatus Spix, 1824 Unlisted

Suborder Amphisbaenia
Family Amphisbaenidae (12) Amphisbaenids
Subfamily Amphisbaeninae
WHITE-BELLIED RED AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena alba Linnaeus, 1758
Unlisted
WHITE-RINGED AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena albocingulata Boettger, 1855 Unlisted
NARROW-NOSED AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena angustifrons Cope, 1861
Unlisted
BOLIVIAN COLLARED AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena bolivica Mertens, 1929
Unlisted
COLLARED AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena camura Cope, 1862
Unlisted
DARWIN´S AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena darwinii Dumeril & Biberon, 1839 Unlisted
LEESER´S AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena leeseri Gans, 1964
Unlisted
MERTEN´S AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena mertensii Strauch, 1881
Unlisted
PLUM-COLOURED AMPHISBAENID Amphisbaena prunicolor Cope, 1885
Unlisted
ROBERT´S CERCOLOPHIA Amphisbaena roberti (Gans, 1964)
Unlisted
STEINDACHNER´S CERCOLOPHIA Amphisbaena steindachneri (Strauch, 1881)
Unlisted
SHOVEL-NOSED AMPHISBAENID Leposternon microcephalum Wagler, 1824
Unlisted

Suborder Serpentes


Infraorder Scolecophidia

Family Anomalepididae (2) Slender Blind Snakes
DARK BLIND SNAKE Liotyphlops beui (Amaral, 1924)
Unlisted
TERNETZ´S BLIND SNAKE Liotyphlops ternetzii (Boulenger, 1896)
Unlisted

Family Leptotyphlopidae (3) Threadsnakes
TUCUMAN THREADSNAKE Epictia albipuncta (Burmeister, 1861) Unlisted
PANTANAL THREADSNAKE Epictia vellardi (Laurent, 1984)
Unlisted
BEAKED THREADSNAKE Rena unguirostris (Boulenger, 1902)
Unlisted

Family Typhlopidae (1) Blind Snakes
BRONGERSMA´S BLIND SNAKE Typhlops brongersmianus Vanzolini, 1976
Unlisted

Infraorder Alethinophidia
Microorder Macrostomata

Gigafamily Booidea
Boidae (5) Boas
Subfamily Boinae
EASTERN BOA CONSTRICTOR Boa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758
Unlisted
CH CHACO RAINBOW BOA Epicrates alvarezi Abaloz, Baez & Nader 1964 Unlisted
EASTERN RAINBOW BOA Epicrates crassus Cope 1862 Unlisted
GREEN ANACONDA Eunectes murinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted
YELLOW ANACONDA Eunectes notaeus Cope, 1862
Unlisted

Gigafamily Caenophidia
Superfamily Colubroidea


Family Colubridae (11) Colubrid Snakes
TWO-KEELED SIPO SNAKE Chironius bicarinatus (Wied 1820)
YELLOW-STRIPED SIPO SNAKE Chironius flavolineatus (Boettger, 1885)
Unlisted
CHACO SIPO SNAKE Chironius maculoventris Dixon, West & Cei, 1993 Unlisted
CENTRAL SIPO SNAKE Chironius quadricarinatus (Boie, 1827)
Unlisted
INDIGO SNAKE Drymarchon corais (Boie, 1827) Unlisted
RED-HEADED RACER Drymoluber brazili (Gomes, 1918)
Unlisted
PARROT SNAKE Leptophis ahaetulla (Linnaeus, 1758) Unlisted
RIO TROPICAL RACER Mastigodryas bifossatus (Raddi, 1820) Unlisted
ROHDE´S FALSE CORAL Simophis rhinostoma (Boettger, 1885) Unlisted
TIGER RAT SNAKE Spilotes pullatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted
BLACK-HEADED TANTILLA Tantilla melanocephala (Linnaeus, 1758) Unlisted

Family Dipsadidae (76) Dipsadid Snakes
Subfamily Dipsadinae
MG THALES DE LEMA´S TELLURIAN SNAKE Atractus thalesdelemai Passos, Fernandes & Zanella 2005 Unlisted
PARAGUAYAN TELLURIAN SNAKE Atractus paraguayensis Werner, 1924
Unlisted
RETICULATED TELLURIAN SNAKE Atractus reticulatus (Boulenger, 1885)
Unlisted
BIG-HEADED SNAIL-EATING SNAKE Dipsas bucephala (Shaw, 1802) Unlisted
SOUTHERN SNAIL-EATING SNAKE Dipsas cisticeps (Shaw, 1802) Unlisted
BLUNT-HEADED TREE SNAKE Imantodes cenchoa (Linnaeus, 1758) Unlisted
NIGHT SNAKE Leptodeira annulata Linnaeus, 1758 Unlisted
CH LA VILLA´S SLUG-EATING SNAKE Sibynomorphus lavillai Scrocchi, Puorto & Rey, 1993 Unlisted
BRAZILIAN SLUG-EATING SNAKE Sibynomorphus mikanii (Schlegel, 1837)
Unlisted
TIGRADA SLUG-EATING SNAKE Sibynomorphus turgidus (Cope, 1868)
Unlisted
SPOT-BELLIED SLUG-EATING SNAKE Sibynomorphus ventrimaculatus (Boulenger, 1885) Unlisted

Subfamily Xenodontinae
PARAGUAYAN BLACKHEAD Apostolepis ambiniger (W.Peters, 1869) Unlisted
COLLARED BLACKHEAD Apostolepis assimilis (Reinhardt, 1861)
Unlisted
VARIABLE BLACKHEAD Apostolepis dimidiata (Jan, 1862)
Unlisted
LINED BLACKHEAD Apostolepis intermedia Koslowsky, 1898 Unlisted
FALSE MUSSURANA Boiruna maculata (Boulenger, 1896) Unlisted
COMMON MUSSURANA Clelia clelia (Daudin, 1803)
Unlisted
PLUMBEOUS MUSSURANA Clelia plumbea (Wied, 1820)
Unlisted
AESCULAPIAN FALSE CORAL Erythrolamprus aesculapii (Linnaeus, 1766)
ALMADEN LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus almadensis (Wagler,in Spix 1824) Unlisted
SWAMP LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus   frenatus (Werner, 1909)
Unlisted
CH GUENTHER´S GREEN LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus albertguentheri Peracca, 1897 Unlisted
JAEGER´S LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus jaegeri (Günther, 1858) Unlisted
COMMON WATER LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus miliaris (Linnaeus, 1758) Unlisted
YELLOW-BELLIED LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus poecilogyrus (Wied, 1825) Unlisted
REGAL LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus reginae (Linnaeus, 1758) Unlisted
PAINTED LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus sagittifer (Jan, 1863)
Unlisted
GOLDEN LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus semiaureus (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
EASTERN GREEN LIOPHIS Erythrolamprus typhlus (linnaeus, 1758) Unlisted
BRAZILIAN KEELBACK Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865
Unlisted
SPOTTED KEELBACK Helicops leopardinus (Schlegel, 1837)
Unlisted
FALSE WATER COBRA Hydrodynastes gigas (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted
MUD SNAKE Hydrops caesurus Scrocchi et al., 2005
Unlisted
GUNTHER´S STRIPED SNAKE Lygophis anomalus (Günther, 1858) Unlisted
LEMA´S STRIPED SNAKE Lygophis dilepis (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
YELLOW BRIDLED SNAKE Lygophis flavifrenatus (Cope, 1862) Unlisted
SOUTHERN STRIPED SNAKE Lygophis meridionalis (Schenkel, 1901) Unlisted
CERRADO STRIPED SNAKE Lygophis paucidens Hoge, 1952 Unlisted
BICOLOURED MUSSURANA Mussurana bicolor (Peracca, 1904) Unlisted
BRAZILIAN MUSSURANA Mussurana quimi (Franco, Marques & Puorto, 1997)
Unlisted
GUIBE´S FLAME SNAKE Oxyrhopus guibei Hoge & Romano, 1977 Unlisted
FOREST FLAME SNAKE Oxyrhopus petolarius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted
DIAMONDBACK FLAME SNAKE Oxyrhopus rhombifer Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854
Unlisted
DUMÉRIL´S BURROWING SNAKE Phalotris lemniscatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted
MATO GROSSO BURROWING SNAKE Phalotris matogrossensis Lema, D'Agostini & Cappellari, 2005
Unlisted
ENPARAGUAYAN BURROWING SNAKE Phalotris nigrilatus Ferrarezzi, 1993
Unlisted
CH ENCHACO BURROWING SNAKE Phalotris normanscotti Cabral & Cacciali, 2015
TRICOLOURED BURROWING SNAKE Phalotris tricolor (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted
BRAZILIAN GREEN RACER Philodryas aestiva (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted
SCORPION SNAKE Philodryas agassizii (Jan, 1863) Unlisted
CH POINT-NOSED RACER Philodryas baroni Berg, 1895 Unlisted
CE CERRADO RACER Philodryas livida (Amaral , 1923) VU
MATO GROSSO RACER Philodryas mattogrossensis Koslowsly, 1898 Unlisted
WHITE-LINED RACER Philodryas nattereri Steindachner, 1870 Unlisted
LICHTENSTEIN´S GREEN RACER Philodryas olfersii (Lichtenstein, 1823)
Unlisted
PATAGONIAN RACER Philodryas patagoniensis (Girard1858)
Unlisted
CHACO RACER Philodryas psammophidea Günther, 1872
Unlisted
COMMON MINER SNAKE Phimophis guerini (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted
CHACO MINER SNAKE Phimophis vittatus (Boulenger, 1896)
Unlisted
CERRADO FALSE BOA Pseudoboa nigra (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) Unlisted
EEL SNAKE Pseudoeryx plicatilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted
SPIRIT DIMINUTIVE SNAKE Psomophis genimaculatus (Boettger, 1885)
Unlisted
RED-BELLIED DIMINUTIVE SNAKE Psomophis obtusus (Cope, 1864)
Unlisted
BRAZILIAN BIRD SNAKE Rhachidelus brazili Boulenger 1908 Unlisted
SPOTTED GROUND-SNAKE Taeniophallus occipitalis (Jan, 1863) Unlisted
CH CHACO SEPIA SNAKE Thamnodynastes chaquensis Bergna & Álvarez, 1993 Unlisted
KEELED SEPIA SNAKE Thamnodynastes hypoconia (Cope, 1860)
Unlisted
LANE´S SEPIA SNAKE Thamnodynastes lanei Bailey, Thomas & Da Silva, 2005
Unlisted
SEPIA SNAKE Thamnodynastes strigatus (Günther, 1858)
Unlisted
BROWN-SPOTTED FALSE VIPER Tomodon dorsatus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854
Unlisted
OCELLATED FALSE VIPER Tomodon ocellatus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 Unlisted
SOUTH AMERICAN HOGNOSE SNAKE Xenodon dorbignyi (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) Unlisted
JAN´S HOGNOSE SNAKE Xenodon histricus (Jan, 1863)
Unlisted
TOAD-EATING SNAKE Xenodon merremi (Wagler, 1824)
Unlisted
NEUWIED´S HOGNOSE SNAKE Xenodon neuwiedii (Günther, 1858)  Unlisted
CH BANDED HOGNOSE SNAKE Xenodon pulcher (Jan, 1863) Unlisted

Subfamily Incertae Cedis
JENSEN´S GROUND SNAKE Xenopholis undulatus (Jensen, 1900) Unlisted

Family Elapidae (7) Coral-Snakes
Subfamily Elapinae
DOUBLE-BANDED CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus altirostris (Cope, 1860)
Unlisted
MESOPOTAMIAN CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus bailocoryphus (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
AF PAINTED CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus corallinus (Merrem, 1820) Unlisted
SOUTHERN CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus frontalis (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted
RIBBON CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus lemniscatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Unlisted
ARGENTINE CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus pyrrhocryptus (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted
MG SILVIA´S CORAL-SNAKE Micrurus silviae Di Bernardo, Borges-Martins & Silva, 2007 Unlisted

Family Viperidae (7) Vipers
Subfamily Crotalinae
URUTU LANCEHEAD Bothrops  alternatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Unlisted - Vibora de la cruz
PAINTED LANCEHEAD Bothrops diporus (Cope, 1862)
Unlisted - Yarará
AF YARARÁ LANCEHEAD Bothrops jararaca (Wied, 1824) Unlisted
AF JARARACUSSU LANCEHEAD Bothrops jararacussu Lacerda, 1884 Unlisted
SAO PAULO LANCEHEAD Bothrops pauloensis Amaral, 1925 Unlisted
CERRADO LANCEHEAD Bothrops moojeni Hoge, 1966
Unlisted
TROPICAL RATTLESNAKE Crotalus durissus Linnaeus, 1758
Unlisted - Cascabel
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Many thanks to Norman Scott and Pier Caccialli for their assistance with all things reptile!
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.