TAXONOMIC GROUPINGS OF PARAGUAYAN REPTILES
The following is a summary of the higher level classification of the Paraguayan reptiles. Click on the links in the list below for the characteristics that define each taxonomic grouping. Figures in brackets after each group name refer to the number of Paraguayan species in that grouping. The descriptor and date then follows. The taxonomies are hierarchical, those with larger font size encompassing all the groups below.
CLASS REPTILIA (158) Linnaeus 1758
SUBCLASS ANAPSIDA (9)
ORDER TESTUDINES (9) Batch, 1788
Suborder Pleurodira (6) Cope, 1870
Family Chelidae (6) Gray, 1831
Suborder Cryptodira (3) Cope, 1869
Infraorder Chelonioidea (2)
Superfamily Testudinoidea (2)
Family Testudinidae (2) Gray, 1825
Infraorder Trionichoidea (1)
Superfamily Kinosternoidea (1)
Family Kinosternidae (1) Agassiz, 1857
Subfamily Kinosterninae (1)
SUBCLASS DIAPSIDA (149) Osborn, 1903
Infraclass Archosauria (3)
ORDER CROCODYLIA (3) Owen, 1842
Family Alligatoridae (3) Gray, 1844
Infraclass Lepidosauria (146)
ORDER SQUAMATA (146) Oppel, 1811
Suborder Sauria (36) McCartney 1802
Infraorder Iguania (11) Cuvier, 1817
Family Iguanidae (1) Gray, 1827
Family Tropiduridae (5)
Family Liolaemidae (2)
Family Polychrotidae (3)
Infraorder Scleroglossa (25)
Microorder Gekkota (5) Cuvier, 1817
Family Gekkonidae (5) Gray, 1825
Subfamily Gekkoninae (5) Gray, 1825
Microorder Scincomorpha (19)
Superfamily Scincoidea (3) Camp, 1923
Family Scincidae (3) Gray, 1825
Subfamily Lygosominae (3)
Superfamily Lacertoidea (16) Camp, 1923
Family Gymnophthalmidae (7) Merrem, 1820
Family Teidae (9) Gray, 1827
Microorder Anguinomorpha (1) Furbringer, 1900
Superfamily Anguinoidea (1)
Family Anguinidae (1) Gray, 1825
Subfamily Diploglossinae (1)
Suborder Amphisbaenia (10) Oppel, 1911
Family Amphisbaenidae (10) Gray, 1825
Subfamily Amphisbaeninae (9) Vanzolini, 1951
Subfamily Rhineurinae (1) Vanzolini, 1951
Suborder Serpentes (100) Linnaeus, 1758
Infraorder Scolecophidia (6) Cope, 1864
Family Anomalepidae (2) Taylor, 1939
Family Leptotyphlopidae (3) Stejneger, 1891
Family Typhlopidae (1) Merrem, 1820
Infraorder Alethinophidia (94) Hofstetter, 1955
Microorder Macrostomata (94)
Gigafamily Booidea (4) Gray, 1825
Family Boidae (4) Gray, 1825
Subfamily Boinae (4) Gray, 1825
Gigafamily Caenophidia (90) Underwood, 1967
Superfamily Colubroidea (90) Oppel, 1811
Family Colubridae (77) Oppel, 1811
Subfamily Xenodermatinae (1) Gray, 1849
Subfamily Dipsadinae (5) Bonaparte, 1838
Subfamily Colubrinae (69) Oppel, 1811
Subfamily Incertae Sedis (2)
Family Elapidae (6) Boie, 1827
Subfamily Elapinae (6)
Family Viperidae (7) Laurenti, 1768
Subfamily Crotalinae (7) Oppel, 1811
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Many thanks to Pier Caccialli for his assistance with all things reptile!
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, Rebecca Zarza, José Luis Cartes and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
