List of reptiles of Vermont explained

The list of reptiles of Vermont includes all reptile species living in the US state of Vermont. The list does not include species found only in captivity. The State Reptile of Vermont is the painted turtle.^[1]

This list is based on the list of Reptiles and Amphibians of Vermont published by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. As of March 2022 there were 21 species of reptiles on the list.^[2] The following sources are used for supplementation and corroboration:

Entries in the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas^[3]
Entries in the Vermont Atlas of Life, published by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies^[4]
A list of Rare and Uncommon Animals of Vermont, published by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife^[5]

Turtles (Testudines)

Snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina
Painted turtle, Chrysemys picta
The painted turtle is the Vermont State Reptile.^[1]
Spotted turtle, Clemmys guttata
Very rare and endangered in Vermont; considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need as identified in the Vermont Wildlife Action Plan. Its status, under the federal Endangered Species Act, is under review.^[6]
Wood turtle, Glyptemys insculpta
The wood turtle is uncommon (vulnerable) in Vermont, and considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need as identified in the Vermont Wildlife Action Plan. Wood turtles have been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act.^[7]
Northern map turtle, Graptemys geographica
Uncommon in Vermont.^[5]
Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina
Eastern musk turtle (stinkpot), Sternotherus odoratus
Rare in Vermont.
Spiny softshell turtle, Apalone spinifera
Very rare in Vermont.

Lizards and snakes (Squamata)

Lizards

Common five-lined skink, Plestiodon fasciatus
Very rare in Vermont.

Snakes

North American tacer, Coluber constrictor^[8]
Very rare in Vermont.
Ring-necked snake, Diadophis punctatus
Eastern hog-nosed snake, Heterodon platirhinos
Eastern milksnake, Lampropeltis triangulum
Common watersnake, Nerodia sipedon
Uncommon in Vermont.
Smooth greensnake, Opheodrys vernalis
Relatively uncommon in Vermont.
Eastern ratsnake, Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Rare in Vermont.
DeKay's brownsnake, Storeria dekayi
Populations are small and highly localized.
Red-bellied snake, Storeria occipitomaculata
Eastern ribbonsnake, Thamnophis saurita
One of the rarest of snakes in Vermont.
Common gartersnake, Thamnophis sirtalis
Both T. s. sirtalis (Linnaeus, 1758) – eastern garter snake, and T. s. pallidulus (Allen, 1899) – maritime garter snake.
Timber rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus
Very rare in Vermont.

References

Book: Conant . Roger . Collins . Josepth T. . Roger Conant (herpetologist) . Joseph T. Collins . 1991 . 1958 . Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America . Peterson Field Guides . https://archive.org/details/petersonfieldgui0000powe/page/n3/mode/2up . 2022-10-13 . Boston, Massachusetts . Houghton Mifflin Company . 978-0-395-58389-0 .
Book: Tyning, Thomas F. . Thomas F. Tyning . 1990 . A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles . Stokes Nature Guides . https://archive.org/details/guidetoamphibian00tyni_0/mode/2up . 2012-03-01 . Boston, Massachusetts . Little, Brown and Company . 978-0-316-81713-4 .
Web site: 2019-08-25 . vtfishandwildlife.com . . Amphibian & Reptile SGCN Conservation Reports Wildlife Action Plan 2015 . Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife . 2024-07-01 . 2023-08-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230809023126/https://vtfishandwildlife.com/sites/fishandwildlife/files/documents/About%20Us/Budget%20and%20Planning/WAP2015/A1.-Amphibian-%26-Reptile-SGCN-(2015).pdf . live .

External links

Web site: Reptiles . Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department . vtfishandwildlife.com . 2024-07-09 . https://archive.today/20240709111416/https://vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/vermont-critters/reptiles . 2024-07-09.

Notes and References

Web site: NO. R-179. JOINT RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE DESIGNATION OF THE PAINTED TURTLE AS THE STATE REPTILE. . Vermont Statutes Online . 2024-07-05 . 2012-12-24 . https://archive.today/20121224142115/http://www.leg.state.vt.us/DOCS/1994/ACTS/ACTR179.HTM . live .
Web site: Reptiles and Amphibians of Vermont . Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department . 2022-03-13 . 2024-07-09 . 2024-06-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240624221319/https://vtfishandwildlife.com/sites/fishandwildlife/files/documents/Learn%20More/Library/REPORTS%20AND%20DOCUMENTS/NONGAME%20AND%20NATURAL%20HERITAGE/SPECIES%20LISTS/Reptiles%20and%20Amphibians%20of%20Vermont.pdf . live .
Web site: The Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas . 2024-06-26 . Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas . vtherpatlas.org . https://archive.today/20240627004337/https://www.vtherpatlas.org/ . 2024-06-27 .
Web site: The Vermont Atlas of Life . https://archive.today/20240702140512/https://val.vtecostudies.org/ . 2024-07-02 . Vermont Center for Ecostudies . vtecostudies.org. 2024-07-02.
Web site: 2022-12-27 . vtfishandwildlife.com . Rare and Uncommon Animals of Vermont 2022 . Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife . 2024-07-07 . 2024-07-07 . https://archive.today/20240707182517/https://vtfishandwildlife.com/sites/fishandwildlife/files/documents/Learn%20More/Library/REPORTS%20AND%20DOCUMENTS/NONGAME%20AND%20NATURAL%20HERITAGE/ENDANGERED,%20THREATENED%20AND%20RARE%20SPECIES%20LISTS/Rare%20and%20Uncommon%20Animals%20of%20Vermont.pdf . live .
Web site: Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service . 2024-07-09 . 2024-07-09 . https://archive.today/20240709134909/https://www.fws.gov/species/spotted-turtle-clemmys-guttata . live .
Web site: Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service . 2024-07-09 . 2024-07-09 . https://archive.today/20240709140034/https://www.fws.gov/species/wood-turtle-glyptemys-insculpta . live .
Web site: Weiss-Tisman . Howard . Rare snake not seen in Vermont for 10 years slithers into spotlight . www.vermontpublic.org . Vermont Public . 25 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240625170705/https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2024-06-25/rare-black-racer-snake-found-southern-vermont-10-years . 2024-06-25 . 2024-06-25 . live.