List of reptiles of Pakistan

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

There are around 170

reptiles living in Pakistan
.

Order Crocodilia

The mugger crocodile is the national reptile of Pakistan
The gharial was found along the banks of the Indus River, for about 22 years it was thought to have gone extinct but was recently spotted in the Sutlej.[1]

There are only two species found in Pakistan.

  • Family
    Crocodylidae
    (crocodiles) - 1 species
    • Crocodylus palustris
      (mugger crocodile, Indian crocodile, Indus crocodile or marsh crocodile) - national reptile
  • Family Gavialidae (gharials) - 1 species
    • Gavialis gangeticus
      (Indian gavial or gharial)

Order Squamata

Around 153 species of Squamata are found in Pakistan.

Suborder
Lacertilia

A male Oriental garden lizard
Hardwick's spiny-tailed lizard
Ceylon chameleon
Persian spider gecko
Leopard gecko
Mediterranean house gecko
Snake-eyed lizard
Ocellated skink
Bronze mabuya
Yellow monitor
Thar desert monitor

There are 86 species of Lacertilia (lizards and relatives) in Pakistan.

Suborder
Serpentes

Russell's boa
Buff striped keelback
Checkered keelback
Indian cobra
Yellow-bellied sea snake
Russell's viper
Saw-scaled viper
Asian sand viper

There are 71 species and 15 subspecies of Serpentes (snakes) found in Pakistan.

Order
Testudines

Loggerhead sea turtle
Indian roofed turtle
Indian star tortoise

There are 15 species of testudines that represent Pakistan.

  • Family Cheloniidae (sea turtles) - 4 species
    • Chelonia mydas
      (green sea turtle)
    • Caretta caretta
      (loggerhead sea turtle)
    • Eretmochelys imbricata
      bissa
      (hawksbill turtle)
    • Lepidochelys olivacea
      (olive ridley turtle)
  • Family Dermochelyidae (softshell sea turtles) - 1 species
    • Dermochelys coriacea
      (leatherback sea turtle or leatherback)
  • Family
    roofed turtles
    ) - 4 species
    • Geoclemys hamiltonii
      (black pond turtle, spotted pond turtle or Indian spotted turtle)
    • Hardella thurjii
      (brahminy river turtle or crowned river turtle)
    • Kachuga smithii
      smithii
      (brown-roofed turtle)
    • Kachuga tecta
      (Indian roofed turtle)
    • Melanochelys trijuga
      (Indian black turtle)
  • Family
    Testudinidae
    (true tortoises) - 2 species
    • Geochelone elegans
      (Indian star tortoise)
    • Testudo horsfieldi
      horsfieldii (Afghan tortoise, Horsfield's tortoise or Central Asian tortoise)
  • Family Trionychidae (softshell turtles) - 4 species
    • Aspideretes gangeticus
      indica
      (Ganges soft-shelled turtle)
    • Aspideretes hurum
      (peacock soft-shelled turtle)
    • Chitra indica
      (narrow-headed soft-shelled turtle)
    • Lissemys punctata
      andersoni
      (Indian flap-shelled turtle)

References

  1. ^ Mehmood, Asif (5 June 2023). "'Gharial' crocodiles discovered in Sutlej". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  • Khan, M. Z., Amtyaz Safi., Fatima. F., Hashmi, M. U. A., Hussain, B. Siddiqui, S., Khan, S. I. & Ghalib, S. A. (2015). "An evaluation of distribution, status and abundance of freshwater turtles in the selected areas of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan". Canadian Journal of Pure & Applied Sciences. 9 (1): 3201-3219.
  • Safi A, Khan M. Z. (2014). "Distribution and current population status of freshwater turtles of District Charsadda of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan". The Journal of Zoology Studies. 1 (4): 31-38.
  • Hashmi, M. U. A, Khan, M. Z, Safi, A., Huda, N. (2013). "Current Status, Distribution and threats of Varanus Spp. (Varanus bengalensis & Veranus griseus) in Karachi & Thatta of Sindh". International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies. 1 (1): 34–38.

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