List of amphibians and reptiles of Saint Kitts and Nevis
This is a list of amphibians and reptiles found on the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, a two-island nation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. The islands are separated by a narrow strait that is only 3.2 km wide and 15 m deep, and thus the two islands have very similar faunas.
Amphibians
There are two species of amphibian recorded on Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Frogs (Anura)
Tropical frogs (Leptodactylidae) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Eleutherodactylus johnstonei |
Lesser Antillean Whistling Frog, Coqui Antillano, Johnstone's Whistling Frog | Least Concern.[1] |
|
True toads ( Bufonidae )
| |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Bufo marinus |
Cane Toad, Giant Neotropical Toad, Marine Toad | Least Concern . Introduced. |
Reptiles
Including marine turtles and introduced species, there are 14 reptile species reported on Saint Kitts and 12 species on Nevis.
Turtles (Testudines)
Tortoises ( Testudinidae )
| |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Geochelone carbonaria |
Red-Footed Tortoise | Presence on Saint Kitts questioned; not present on Nevis. | |
Scaly sea turtles (Cheloniidae) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Caretta caretta |
Loggerhead Turtle | Endangered. | |
Chelonia mydas |
Green Turtle | Endangered. | |
Eretmochelys imbricata |
Hawksbill Turtle | Critically Endangered. | |
Leathery sea turtles (Dermochelyidae) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Dermochelys coriacea |
Leatherback Turtle | Critically Endangered. |
Lizards and snakes (Squamata)
Geckos (Gekkonidae) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Hemidactylus mabouia |
House Gecko | Introduced. Not recorded on Nevis. | |
Sphaerodactylus sabanus |
Saba Least Gecko | Regional endemic. | |
Sphaerodactylus sputator |
Island Least Gecko | Regional endemic. Highly abundant. | |
Thecadactylus rapicauda |
Turnip-Tailed Gecko | Rare. | |
Iguanas and Anolids (Iguanidae) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Anolis bimaculatus | Panther Anole | Regional endemic. Relatively common and widely distributed up to 300 m in elevation. | |
Anolis schwartzi | Schwartz's Anole, Watts' Anole | Taxonomy as separate species unclear; alternately described as a subspecies of A. wattsi . Regional endemic. Common and widespread. |
|
Whiptails (Teiidae) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Ameiva erythrocephala |
St. Christopher Ameiva | Regional endemic; scarce. | |
Worm snakes (Typhlopidae) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Typhlops monastus |
Montserrat Worm Snake, | Regional endemic; populations found on Saint Kitts and Nevis are of subspecies T. m. geotomus. | |
Colubrids (Colubridae) | |||
Species | Common name(s) | Notes | Image |
Alsophis rufiventris |
Red-bellied Racer, Orange-bellied Racer, Saba Racer | Endangered. Regional endemic. |
Notes
- ^ Conservation status, where available, is from the IUCN Red List and is indicative of the status of the species as a whole, not just populations on Saint Kitts and Nevis.
References
Note: All records of species that listed above are supported by Malhotra & Thorpe 1999, unless otherwise cited.
- Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999), Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean, ISBN 0-333-69141-5.