List of reptiles of Singapore

There are about 110 species of reptiles in Singapore.[1] Most of them are small or rarely seen. But there are a few which are large or prominent. The largest reptiles which can be found in Singapore are the estuarine crocodile and the reticulated python. The ones most commonly seen in urban areas are the house geckos (typically called house lizard by the lay-person) and the non-native changeable lizard. The changeable lizard has pushed the local green crested lizard into forested areas.

Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) at Bukit Batok
Water monitor (Varanus salvator) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

In gardens and parks, one can often see common sun skinks, the introduced red-eared sliders and flying lizards.

Water monitors are common in rivers and mangrove. Another monitor that can be found in Singapore is the clouded monitor, which is a forest species. It is smaller than the Malayan water monitor, has slit nostrils and is paler in colour. In 2008, the Dumeril's monitor was rediscovered in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.[2] This goes to show that there can still be surprises in the forests of Singapore.

Equatorial spitting cobras can still be found in desolated urban areas of Singapore. The bigger king cobra is much rarer. The banded krait sometimes show up as road kills. There are also 2 coral snake and 9 sea snake species.

List of reptiles

Order Crocodylia (crocodilians)
Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Family Crocodylidae (crocodiles)
  • Estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) - formerly widespread, recent sightings in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Lim Chu Kang, Woodlands Waterfront, Sembawang, Lower Seletar Reservoir, Pasir Ris, Changi, East Coast
  • Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) - likely former native but since extirpated

Family Gavialidae (gharials)
  • False gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) - likely former native but since extirpated, possible escaped juvenile caught in Pasir Ris in 1991[3][4]

Order Testudines (turtles, tortoises, terrapins)

Family Cheloniidae (sea turtles)
  • Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) - vagrant
  • Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) - Singapore Strait
  • Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) - Singapore Strait, recorded nesting on East Coast and Southern Islands
  • Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) - vagrant

Family Dermochelyidae (leatherback turtle)
  • Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) - vagrant

Family Chelydridae (snapping turtles)
  • Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina sensu lato) - escapee
  • Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii sensu lato) - escapee

Family Kinosternidae (mud turtles)
  • Razor-backed musk turtle (Sternotherus carinatus) - escapee

Family Trionychidae (softshell turtles)
  • Asian softshell turtle (Amyda cartilaginea) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, populations elsewhere likely to be escapees or introduced
  • Indochinese softshell turtle (Amyda ornata) - introduced
  • Forest softshell turtle (Dogania subplana) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) - escapee
  • Wattle-necked softshell turtle (Palea steindachneri) - escapee
  • Asian giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) - likely former native but since extirpated
  • Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis sensu lato) - introduced
  • Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra chitra) - likely former native but since extirpated

Family Carettochelyidae (pig-nosed turtle)
  • Pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) - escapee

Family Geoemydidae (Asian terrapins)
  • Southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis) - likely former native but since extirpated, recent local records likely to be escapees
  • Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) - indeterminate, recent local records likely to be escapees
  • Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) - extinct
  • Malayan box terrapin (Cuora amboinensis) - local populations likely to be a mixture of native and introduced individuals
  • Asian leaf terrapin (Cyclemys dentata) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment
  • Oldham's leaf terrapin (Cyclemys oldhamii) - extinct
  • Enigmatic leaf terrapin (Cyclemys enigmatica) - extinct
  • Yellow-headed temple terrapin (Heosemys annandalii) - escapee
  • Giant Asian pond terrapin (Heosemys grandis) - introduced
  • Spiny terrapin (Heosemys spinosa) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Chinese stripe-necked turtle (Mauremys sinensis) - escapee
  • Malayan flat-shelled terrapin (Notochelys platynota) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment
  • Malayan giant terrapin (Orlitia borneensis) - potentially native, recent local records likely to be a mix of indigenous and introduced animals
  • Black marsh terrapin (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) - potentially native, recent local records likely to be a mix of indigenous and introduced animals

Family Testudinidae (tortoises)
  • Asian brown tortoise (Manouria emys) - likely former native but since extirpated, recent local records likely to be escapees
  • Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) - escapee
  • Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) - introduced population
  • Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) - introduced population
  • Red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius) - introduced population
  • Ploughshare tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora) - escapee
  • African spur-thighed tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) - escapee

Family Emydidae (American terrapins)
  • Cuban slider (Trachemys decussata) - escapee
  • Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) - introduced, common and widespread
  • Florida cooter (Pseudemys concinna floridana) - escapee

Family Chelidae (side-necked turtles)
  • Matamata (Chelus fimbriata) - escapee

Order Squamata (lizards and snakes)

Family Eublepharidae (eyelid geckos)
  • Fox-faced gecko (Aeluroscalabotes felinus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Family Gekkonidae (geckos)
  • Peninsular rock gecko (Cnemaspis peninsularis) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong
  • Singapore bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus majulah) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Panti bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylyus pantiensis) - Pulau Tekong
  • Banded bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus pulchellus) - doubtful
  • Marbled bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Peninsular bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus semenanjungensis) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Peter's forest gecko (Cyrtodactylus consobrinus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
  • Four-clawed gecko (Gehyra mutilata) - common and widespread
  • Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) - introduced
  • Spotted house gecko (Gekko monarchus) - common and widespread
  • Large forest gecko (Gekko smithii) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Frilly gecko (Hemidactylus craspedotus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Flat-tailed gecko (Hemidactylus platyurus) - common and widespread
  • Brooke's house gecko (Hemidactylus brookii) - Admiralty Park, likely introduced
  • Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) - common and widespread
  • Indo-Pacific gecko (Hemidactylus garnotii) - indeterminate
  • Lowland dwarf gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus typus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Mandai Mangroves, Pasir Ris, Bidadari
  • Mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) - widespread in coastal habitats
  • Brown's flap-legged gecko (Luperosaurus browni) - Pulau Tekong
  • Horsfield's flying gecko (Ptychozoon horsfieldii) - indeterminate
  • Kuhl's flying gecko (Ptychozoon kuhli) - Pulau Tekong

Family Agamidae (agamids)
  • Earless agamid (Aphaniotis fusca) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella)
  • Changeable lizard (Calotes versicolor) - introduced, common and widespread
  • Black-bearded flying lizard (Draco melanopogon) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Five-banded flying lizard (Draco quinquefasciatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Common gliding lizard (Draco sumatranus) - common and widespread on Singapore Island, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
  • Orange-bearded flying lizard (Draco abbreviatus) - indeterminate
  • Red-edged flying lizard (Draco formosus) - indeterminate
  • Peninsular horned tree lizard (Acanthosaura armata) - indeterminate
  • Bell's anglehead lizard (Gonocephalus bellii) - indeterminate
  • Great anglehead lizard (Gonocephalus grandis) - likely former native but since extirpated, due to disappearance of mature riparian habitat

Family Dactyloidae (anoles)
  • Brown anole (Norops sagrei) - introduced, breeding population in Gardens by the Bay, individuals spotted in Bishan, Tanah Merah, Punggol, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Family Iguanidae (iguanas)
  • Green iguana (Iguana iguana) - introduced, breeding populations in Jurong Hill, Jurong Bird Park, Sungei Tengah, Choa Chu Kang, escapees occasionally seen elsewhere

Family Scincidae (skinks)
A skink (most likely the common sun skink) alongside the Berlayer Creek Boardwalk in southern Singapore, near Labrador Nature Reserve.

Family Varanidae (monitor lizards)
A clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus) in Singapore Botanic Gardens hunting for worms and other edibles under leaves. It can be distinguished from the Malayan water monitor — the other common monitor in Singapore — by its slit nostrils.
  • Clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
  • Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerili) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator) - common and widespread in habitats close to water

Family Typhlopidae (blind snakes)
  • Brahminy blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus)
  • Striped blind snake (Ramphotyphlops lineatus)
  • White-belled blind snake (Typhlops muelleri) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin

Family Cylindrophiidae (Asian pipe snakes)

Family Xenopeltidae (sunbeam snakes)

Family Pythonidae (pythons)
  • Malaysian blood python (Python brongersmai) - extirpated?
  • Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) - common and widespread

Family Acrochordidae (file snakes)
File snake (Acrochordus granulatus), a marine file snake

Family Colubridae (colubrids)

Subfamily Sibynophiinae

  • Black-headed collared snake (Sibynophis melanocephalus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Kranji, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong

Subfamily Natricinae

  • Peter's keelback (Amphiesma petersii) - indeterminate
  • Southern chequered keelback (Fowlea flavipunctatus) - introduced
  • Blue-necked keelback (Macropisthodon rhodomelas)
  • Red-necked keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus) - indeterminate
  • Spotted keelback (Xenochrophis maculatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Triangle keelback (Xenochrophis trianguligerus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Striped keelback (Xenochrophis vittatus) - introduced

Subfamily Calamariinae

  • Red-bellied reed snake (Calamaria albiventer) - indeterminate
  • Gimlett's reed snake (Calamaria gimletti) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Variable reed snake (Calamaria lumbricoidea) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Pink-headed reed snake (Calamaria schlegeli) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Dwarf reed snake (Pseudorabdion longiceps) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong

Subfamily Ahaetullinae

  • Speckle-headed whip snake (Ahaetulla fasciolata) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore Botanic Gardens
  • Malayan whip snake (Ahaetula mycterizans) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Oriental whip snake (Ahaetulla prasina) - common and widespread
  • Golden tree snake (Chrysopelea ornata ) - introduced, individuals seen at Shenton Way, Gardens by the Bay, Lim Chu Kang
  • Paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) - common and widespread
  • Twin-barred tree snake (Chrysopelea pelias) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin
  • Striped bronzeback (Dendrelaphis caudolineatus) - common and widespread
  • Blue bronzeback (Dendrelaphis cyanochloris) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Elegant bronzeback (Dendrelaphis formosus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Haas' bronzeback (Dendrelaphis haasi) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Kopstein's bronzeback (Dendrelaphis kopsteini) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Painted bronzeback (Dendrelaphis pictus) - common and widespread
  • Keel-bellied whip snake (Dryophiops rubescens) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong

Subfamily Colubrinae

  • Dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
  • Mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Mandai Mangroves, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, St. John's Island, Pulau Semakau
  • White-spotted cat snake (Boiga drapiezii) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Jasper cat snake (Boiga jaspidea) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong
  • Common Malayan racer (Coelognathus flavolineatus)
  • Copperhead racer (Coelognathus radiatus) - indeterminate
  • Malayan bridle snake (Dryocalamus subannulatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Orange-bellied ringneck (Gongylosoma baliodeira) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Rainbow tree snake (Gonyophis margaritatus) - indeterminate
  • Red-tailed racer (Gonyosoma oxycephalum)- Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong
  • Tricoloured ringneck (Liopeltis tricolor)
  • House wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus) - common and widespread
  • Banded wolf snake (Lycodon subcinctus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong
  • Brown kukri snake (Oligodon purpurascens) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Striped kukri snake (Oligodon octolineatus) - common and widespread
  • Barred kukri snake (Oligodon signatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Striped racer (Orthriophis taeniurus) - indeterminate, historically recorded from Pulau Ubin
  • Keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • White-bellied rat snake (Ptyas fusca) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Indochinese rat snake (Ptyas korros)
  • Banded rat snake (Ptyas mucosa) - indeterminate
  • Malaysian brown snake (Xenelaphis hexagonotus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Family Homalopsidae (mud snakes)
  • Keel-bellied water snake (Bitia hydroides) - indeterminate
  • Cantor's water snake (Cantoria violacea)
  • Dog-faced water snake (Cerberus schneiderii) - Straits of Johor, Pulau Semakau
  • Rainbow water snake (Enhydris enhydris) - likely introduced
  • Crab-eating water snake (Fordonia leucobalia)
  • Yellow-lipped water snake (Gerarda prevostiana)
  • Puff-faced water snake (Homalopsis buccata)
  • Blackwater mud snake (Phytolopsis punctata) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Family Lamprophiidae (mock vipers)

Family Elapidae (cobras, coral snakes, kraits, sea snakes)
Blue Malayan coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus) at Venus Drive

Family Pareidae (slug-eating snakes)
  • White-spotted slug snake (Pareas margaritophorus) - introduced
  • Smooth slug snake (Asthenodipsas laevis) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Family Viperidae (vipers)

See also

References
  1. "List of reptile species present in Singapore". National Parks Board.
  2. D. L. Yong; S. D. Fam; J. J. Ng (29 July 2008). "Rediscovery of Dumeril's Monitor Varanus Dumerilii (Varanidae) in Singapore". Nature In Singapore. National University of Singapore. 2008 (1): 21–22.
  3. "Baby crocodile caught in canal at Pasir Ris estate". The Straight Times. 15 May 1991. p. 6.
  4. Choo Siew Bee (6 June 1991). "Croc found in Pasir Ris canal is no man-eater". The Straight Times. p. 3.
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