China
Checklist of Endemic Reptile Species
This list of reptile species found exclusively in China is based on the taxonomy used in the EMBL Reptile Database (2005). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
The EMBL Reptile Database CD September 2001 edition. Updated with changes through 2004 making it current to January 2005. http://www.reptile-database.org/db-info/changes2005.html
The current version of this database is the TIGR Reptile Database http://www.reptile-database.org/
* = Mainland plus Taiwan ** = Taiwan only
Alligator sinensis (Crocodylia - Crocodylidae) Chinese Alligator
Achalinus hainanus (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Hainan Odd-scaled Snake
Achalinus jinggangensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Zong's Odd-scaled Snake
Achalinus meiguensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Sichuan Odd-scaled Snake
Achalinus niger ** (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Black Odd-scaled Snake
Amphiesma craspedogaster (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Kuatun Keelback
Amphiesma johannis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Johann's Keelback
Amphiesma metusium (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Wa Shan Keelback
Amphiesma miyajimae ** (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Maki's Keelback
Amphiesma octolineatum (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Eight-lined Keelback
Amphiesma popei (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Pope's Keelback
Amphiesmoides ornaticeps (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Werner's Ornate Snake
Atretium yunnanensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Yunnan Olive Keelback
Boiga guangxiensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Guangxi Cat Snake
Calamaria yunnanensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Yunnan Reed Snake
Dinodon rosozonatum (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Rose Big-tooth Snake
Elaphe bella (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Bella Ratsnake
Elaphe bimaculata (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Twin-spotted Ratsnake
Elaphe maculata (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae)
Elaphe perlacea (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Pearl-banded Ratsnake
Macropisthodon rudis * (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Red Keelback
Oligodon kunmingensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Kunming Kukri Snake
Oligodon lungshenensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Longsheng Kukri Snake
Oligodon multizonatus (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Many-banded Kukri Snake
Oligodon ningshaanensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Ningshan Kukri Snake
Oligodon ornatus * (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Ornate Kukri Snake
Opisthotropis guangxiensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Guangxi Mountain Keelback
Opisthotropis kuatunensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Chinese Mountain Keelback
Opisthotropis latouchii (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Sichuan Mountain Keelback
Opisthotropis maxwelli (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Maxwell's Mountain Keelback
Pareas boulengeri (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Boulenger's Slug Snake
Pareas chinensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Chinese Slug Snake
Pareas formosensis ** (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Taiwan Slug-eating Snake
Pareas stanleyi (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Stanley's Slug Snake
Plagiopholis styani (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Chinese Mountain Snake
Plagiopholis unipostocularis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Yunnan Mountain Snake
Pseudoxenodon bambusicola (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Bamboo Snake
Pseudoxenodon stejnegeri * (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Stejneger's Bamboo Snake
Ptyas dhumnades * (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Big-eye Rat Snake
Rhabdophis adleri (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Adler's Keelback
Rhabdophis swinhonis ** (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Taiwan Keelback
Sinonatrix aequifasciata (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Diamond-back Water Snake
Sinonatrix annularis * (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Asiatic Banded Water Snake
Sinonatrix yunnanensis (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae)
Thermophis baileyi (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Hot-spring Keelback
Hemibungarus hatori ** (Squamata Ophidia - Elapidae) Striped Coral Snake
Hemibungarus sauteri ** (Squamata Ophidia - Elapidae) Taiwan Coral Snake
Typhlops koshunensis ** (Squamata Ophidia - Typhlopidae) Koshun Worm Snake
Ermia mangshanensis (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Mangshan Viper
Gloydius monticola (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Likiang Pitviper
Gloydius shedaoensis (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Shedao Island Pitviper
Gloydius strauchi (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Strauch's Pitviper
Trimeresurus gracilis ** (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Taiwan Mountain Pit Viper
Trimeresurus tibetanus (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Tibetan Pitviper
Trimeresurus xiangchengensis (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Kham Plateau Pitviper
Trimeresurus yunnanensis (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Yunnan Bamboo Pitviper
Calotes medogensis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Medog Bloodsucker
Japalura brevipes ** (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Short-legged Japalura
Japalura dymondi (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Dymond's Japalure
Japalura flaviceps (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Sichuan Japalure
Japalura grahami (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Graham's Japalure
Japalura luei ** (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Lue's Japalura
Japalura makii ** (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Maki's Japalura
Japalura micangshanensis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Micangshan Japalure
Japalura splendida (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Splendid Japalure
Japalura swinhonis ** (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Swinhoe's Japalura
Japalura varcoae (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Kunming Japalure
Japalura yunnanensis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Yunnan Japalure
Japalura zhaoermii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae)
Laudakia papenfussi (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Papenfuss' Rock Agama
Laudakia sacra (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Anan's Rock Agama
Laudakia wui (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Wui's Rock Agama
Phrynocephalus affinis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae)
Phrynocephalus albolineatus (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) White-striped Toad-headed Agama
Phrynocephalus arcellazzii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Central Asian Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus birulai (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Tsarewsky´s Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus elegans (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Elegant Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus forsythii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Forsyth's Toad-headed Agama
Phrynocephalus frontalis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Steppe Toad-headed Agama
Phrynocephalus geckoides (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Gecko Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus hongyuanensis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Hongyuan Toad-headed Agama
Phrynocephalus lidskii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Tibetan Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus nasatus (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae)
Phrynocephalus parvulus (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Slight Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus parvus (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae)
Phrynocephalus przewalskii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Desert Toad-headed Agama
Phrynocephalus pylzowi (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Pylzow´s Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus roborowskii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Roborowski´s Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus salenskyi (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Salensky´s Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus steindachneri (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Steindachner´s Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus vlangalii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) Ching Hai Toadhead Agama
Phrynocephalus zetanensis (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae)
Ophisaurus formosensis ** (Squamata Sauria - Anguidae) Formosan Legless Lizard
Ophisaurus hainanensis (Squamata Sauria - Anguidae) Hainan Glass Lizard
Cyrtodactylus tibetanus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Tibet Bent-toed Gecko
Cyrtopodion medogensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Medog Bow-fingered Gecko
Gekko auriverrucosus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Shanxi Gecko
Gekko kikuchii ** (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Kikuchi's Gecko
Gekko scabridus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Yunnan Gecko
Gekko subpalmatus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Less-webbed Gecko
Gekko swinhonis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Swinhoe's Gecko
Gekko taibaiensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Mingtao's Gecko
Goniurosaurus bawanglingensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Bawangling Leopard Gecko
Lepidodactylus yami ** (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Lanyu Scaly-toed Gecko
Teratoscincus roborowskii (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Roborowski's Plate-tailed Gecko
Teratoscincus toksunicus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae)
Eremias quadrifrons (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Alachan Racerunner
Takydromus formosanus ** (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Formosan Grass Lizard
Takydromus hsuehshanensis ** (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Hsuehshan Grass Lizard
Takydromus intermedius (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Emei Ground Lizard
Takydromus sauteri ** (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Koshun Grass Lizard
Takydromus septentrionalis * (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Chinese Grass Lizard
Takydromus stejnegeri ** (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Brown Grass Lizard
Takydromus sylvaticus (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Chong'an Ground Lizard
Ateuchosaurus chinensis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Chinese Short-limbed Skink
Eumeces capito (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Gail's Eyelid Skink
Eumeces liui (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Liu's Skink
Eumeces popei (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Pope's Skink
Eumeces tunganus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Tung River Skink
Scincella barbouri (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Barbour's Dwarf Skink
Scincella formosensis ** (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Formosan Smooth Skink
Scincella huanrenensis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Huanren Dwarf Skink
Scincella modesta (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Slender Forest Skink
Scincella monticola (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Mountainous Dwarf Skink
Scincella przewalskii (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Przewalski's Dwarf Skink
Scincella tsinlingensis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Tsinling Dwarf Skink
Sphenomorphus taiwanensis ** (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Taiwan Alpine Skink
Sphenomorphus incognitus * (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) South China Forest Skink
Tropidophorus guangxiensis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Guangzi Water-side Skink
Shinisaurus crocodilurus (Squamata Sauria - Xenosauridae) Chinese Crocodile Lizard
Chinemys megalocephala (Testudines - Emydidae) Chinese Broad-headed Pond Turtle
Clemmys guangxiensis (Testudines - Emydidae)
Cuora aurocapitata (Testudines - Emydidae) Golden-headed Box Turtle
Cuora hainanensis (Testudines - Emydidae) Hainan Box Turtle
Cuora mccordi (Testudines - Emydidae) McCord's Box Turtle
Cuora pani (Testudines - Emydidae) Pan's Box Turtle
Cuora yunnanensis (Testudines - Emydidae) Yunnan Box Turtle
Cuora zhoui (Testudines - Emydidae) Zhou's Box Turtle
Mauremys iversoni (Testudines - Emydidae) Fujian Pond Turtle
Ocadia glyphistoma (Testudines - Emydidae)
Ocadia philippeni (Testudines - Emydidae) Philippen's Striped Turtle
Sacalia pseudoocellata (Testudines - Emydidae) Chinese False-eyed Turtle
Pelodiscus parviformis (Testudines - Trionychidae)
Trionyx axenaria (Testudines - Trionychidae)
Additional endemic reptile species described too recently to be included in the January 2005 version of the EMBL Reptile Database are given below. This list is primarily based on information from the current version of the TIGR Reptile Database (here) and includes species described through 2008. In addition to the 144 endemic reptile species listed above, these additional 3 species give a total of 147 species of reptiles known solely from China.
Gekko wenxianensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) 2008
Takydromus luyeanus ** (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Luye Grass Lizard
Takydromus viridipunctatus ** (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Green-spotted Grass Lizard