Common Names of Australian Reptiles

Based on the Census of Australian Vertebrate Species (CAVS)  -  Reptiles Version 8.1 - 15 June 1995  -  Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS)

Common names and cross references added by J W Hardy, Coordinator Wildlife Licensing, Biodiversity Management Unit, NPWS in July 1997 (Nomenclatural changes updated 1 August 2002)

N.B. Scientific names generally follow Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, H.G. Cogger 1992 with additions and cross references from Encyclopedia of Australian Animals - Reptiles, Harald Ehmann 1992 and Webster Mulimedia’s Reptiles and Frogs CD-ROM, Harald Ehmann and Michael Tyler 1996. 

Common names have been added by the NSW NPWS for the purpose of database recognition of species held by reptile keepers.  Where more than one common name is listed for the one species, the first is that appearing in Encyclopedia of Australian Animals - Reptiles, Harald Ehmann 1992 and/or Webster Mulimedia’s Reptiles and Frogs CD-ROM, Harald Ehmann and Michael Tyler 1996. Other common names were lifted from the popular literature including Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, H.G. Cogger 1992; and A Field Guide to the Snakes and Lizards of New South Wales, Gerry Swan, 1990.

N.B. Scientific names generally follow Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, H.G. Cogger 1992 with additions and cross references from Encyclopedia of Australian Animals - Reptiles, Harald Ehmann 1992 and Webster Mulimedia’s Reptiles and Frogs CD-ROM, Harald Ehmann and Michael Tyler 1996. 

Common names have been added by the NSW NPWS for the purpose of database recognition of species held by reptile keepers.  Where more than one common name is listed for the one species, the first is that appearing in Encyclopedia of Australian Animals - Reptiles, Harald Ehmann 1992 and/or Webster Mulimedia’s Reptiles and Frogs CD-ROM, Harald Ehmann and Michael Tyler 1996. Other common names were lifted from the popular literature including Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, H.G. Cogger 1992; and A Field Guide to the Snakes and Lizards of New South Wales, Gerry Swan, 1990.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        NSW NPWS

Species                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Licence

  Code               Scientific Name                        Taxonomic Description                    Common Name                                  Distribution                  Class

REPTILES

Typhlopidae - blind snakes

S2585         Ramphotyphlops affinis                   (Boulenger,1889)                             Small-headed Blind Snake                        NSW,Qld                           3

U2586         Ramphotyphlops australis              (Gray,1845)                                      Southern Blind Snake                               NSW,NT,SA,Vic,WA         3

W2587       Ramphotyphlops batillus                 (Waite,1894)                                                                                                      NSW

A2588         Ramphotyphlops bituberculatus     (Peters,1863)                                   Prong-snouted Blind Snake                      NSW,NT,Qld,SA,Vic,WA   3

C2589        Ramphotyphlops braminus             (Daudin,1803)                                  Flowerpot Blind Snake                              CI,CKI,NT,

M2590        Ramphotyphlops broomi                 (Boulenger,1898)                             faint-striped Blind Snake                           NSW,NT,Qld,SA,               3

K2725         Ramphotyphlops centralis              Storr,1984                                        Centralian Blind Snake                              NT

G2731        Ramphotyphlops chamodracaena Ingram and Covacevich,1993          Cape York Striped Blind Snake                 Qld

Z2591         Ramphotyphlops diversus              (Waite,1894)                                    Northern Blind Snake                                NT,Qld,WA

Q2592        Ramphotyphlops endoterus            (Waite,1918)                                    Interior Blind Snake                                   NSW,NT,Qld,SA,WA         3

A2608         Ramphotyphlops exocoeti               (Boulenger,1887)                             Christmas Island Blind Snake                   CI

S2593         Ramphotyphlops grypus                 (Waite,1918)                                    long-beaked Blind Snake                          NT,Qld,WA

U2594         Ramphotyphlops guentheri             (Peters,1865)                                   Top End Blind Snake                                NT,WA

C2609        Ramphotyphlops hamatus              Storr,1981                                        Pale-headed Blind Snake                          WA

S2817         Ramphotyphlops howi                     Storr,1983                                        Kimberley deep-soil Blind Snake              WA

M2610        Ramphotyphlops kimberleyensis   Storr,1981                                        Kimberley Shallow-soil Blind Snake         WA

W2595       Ramphotyphlops leptosoma           Robb,1972                                       Murchison Blind Snake                             WA

A2596         Ramphotyphlops leucoproctus       (Boulenger,1889)                             Cape York Blind Snake                             Qld

C2597        Ramphotyphlops ligatus                  (Peters,1879)                                   Robust Blind Snake                                  NSW,NT,Qld,SA,Vic,WA   3

Z2611         Ramphotyphlops margaretae         Storr,1981                                        Buff-snouted Blind Snake                         WA

A2800         Ramphotyphlops micromma         Storr,1981                                        Small-eyed Blind Snake                            WA

E2598         Ramphotyphlops minimus              (Kinghorn,1929)                               Groote Dwarf Blind Snake                        NT(Groote Island)

G2599        Ramphotyphlops nigrescens          (Gray,1845)                                      Blackish Blind Snake                                NSW,Qld,Vic                     3

K2601         Ramphotyphlops pinguis                 (Waite,1897)                                    Rotund Blind Snake                                  SA,Vic,WA

M2602        Ramphotyphlops polygrammicus    (Schlegel,1839)                              North-eastern Blind Snake                        Qld

Z2603         Ramphotyphlops proximus             (Waite,1893)                                    Proximus Blind Snake                               NSW,Qld,SA,Vic               3

Y2732         Ramphotyphlops silvia                    Ingram and Covacevich,1993          Great Sandy Blind Snake                          Qld

Q2604        Ramphotyphlops tovelli                   (Loveridge,1945)                              Darwin Blind Snake                                   NT

C2801        Ramphotyphlops troglodytes          Storr,1981                                        Sandamara Blind Snake                           WA

S2605         Ramphotyphlops unguirostris         (Peters,1867)                                   Claw-snouted Blind Snake                        NSW,NT,Qld,SA,WA         3

E2802         Ramphotyphlops waitii                    (Boulenger,1895)                             Beaked Blind Snake                                  WA

U2606         Ramphotyphlops weidii                   (Peters, 1867)                                  Brown-snouted Blind Snake                     QLD                                   3

G2803        Ramphotyphlops yampiensis          Storr,1981                                        Yampi Blind Snake                                    WA

W2607       Ramphotyphlops yirrikalae              (Kinghorn,1942)                               Yirrkala Blind Snake                                  NT

Varanidae - monitors

G2263        Varanus acanthurus                        Boulenger,1885                               Ocellate Ridge-tailed Monitor                    NT,Qld,SA,WA                  1

                                                                                                                                    Ridge-Tailed Monitor

K2733         Varanus baritji                                  King and Horner,1987                      Black-spotted Ridge-tailed Momitor          NT                                      3

Y2264         Varanus brevicauda                        Boulenger,1898                               Short-tailed Pygmy Monitor                       NT,Qld,SA,WA                  3

K2265         Varanus caudolineatus                    Boulenger,1885                               Line-tailed Pygmy Monitor                         WA                                     3

M2266        Varanus eremius                             Lucas and Frost,1895                     Rusty Desert Monitor                                NT,Qld,SA,WA                  3

Z2267         Varanus giganteus                          (Gray,1845)                                      Perentie                                                     NT,Qld,SA,WA                  3

Q2268        Varanus gilleni                                 Lucas and Frost,1895                     Pygmy Mulga Monitor                                NT,Qld,SA,WA                  1

S2269         Varanus glauerti                              Mertens,1957                                   Kimberley Rock Monitor                            NT,WA                               3

E2270         Varanus glebopalma                       Mitchell,1955                                    Black-palmed Rock Monitor                      NT,Qld,WA                        3

                                                                                                                                    Long-Tailed Rock Monitor

G2271        Varanus gouldii                                (Gray,1838)                                      Sand Monitor                                             NSW,NT,Qld,SA,               1

                                                                                                                                    Gould's Goanna                                        Vic,WA

A2288         Varanus gouldii flavirufus                Mertens,1958                                                                                                     (arid interior)                      1

Y2272         Varanus indicus                               (Daudin,1802)                                  Mangrove Monitor                                      NT,Qld                               3

*K2755       Varanus keithhornei                         (Wells and Wellington,1985)           Nesbit River Monitor                                  Qld

Q2284        Varanus kingorum                           Storr,1980                                        Pygmy Rock Monitor                                 NT,WA

K2273         Varanus mertensi                            Glauert,1951                                    Mertens's Water Monitor                           NT,Qld,WA                        3

M2274        Varanus mitchelli                             Mertens,1958                                   Mitchell's Water Monitor                            NT,WA                               3

S2285         Varanus panoptes                           Storr,1980                                        Yellow-spotted Monitor                              NT,WA                               3

U2286         Varanus pilbarensis                         Storr,1980                                        Pilbara Rock Monitor                                 WA

Z2275         Varanus prasinus                            (Schlegel,1839)                               Emerald Monitor                                        Qld                                     3

Q2276        Varanus primordius                         Mertens,1942                                   Northern Blunt-spined Monitor                  NT                                      3

W2287       Varanus rosenbergi                         Mertens,1957                                   Heath Monitor                                            NSW,SA,Vic,WA               3

                   Varanus scalaris                             (regarded as same species as V. timorensis)                                                 

U2278         Varanus semiremex                        Peters,1869                                     Rusty Monitor                                            Qld

W2279       Varanus spenceri                            Lucas and Frost,1903                     Spencer's Monitor                                     NT,Qld                               3

Y2280         Varanus storri                                  Mertens,1966                                   Storr’s Monitor                                           NT,Qld,WA                        3

*M2786       Varanus telenesetes                       Sprackland,1991                              Green Monitor                                            Qld

W2755       Varanus teriae                                 Sprackland,1991                                                                                                Qld

K2281         Varanus timorensis                         (Gray,1831)                                      Spotted Tree Monitor                                 NT,Qld,WA                        3

M2282        Varanus tristis                                 (Schlegel,1839)                               Black-tailed Monitor                                   NSW,NT,Qld,SA,WA         1

                   Varanus tristis orientalis                                                                           Freckled Monitor

                   Varanus tristis tristis                                                                                Black-headed Monitor

Z2283         Varanus varius                                (White, 1790)                                   Lace Monitor                                              NSW,Qld,SA,Vic               3

NOTE:

CAVS species codes have not been allocated to a number of newly described species and/ or subspecies and accordingly, for computerised species record  purposes, codes commencing with the letter “T2” have been allocated by NSW NPWS for these species.  They are as follows:

T2001         Saltuarius wyberba                          (Couper et al, 1993)                         Leaf-tailed Gecko                                      NSW                                  3

T2002         Emydura sp.                                                                                             Cooper Creek Short-necked Turtle           SA,Qld                               1

T2003         Ctenotus olympicus                        Hutchinson and Donnellan,1999     a Spotted Ctenotus                                   NSW                                  1                  

T2004         Ctenotus orientalis                          Hutchinson and Donnellan,1999     a Spotted Ctenotus                                   NSW                                  3

T2005         Cyclodomorphus michaeli              Shea, 1995                                      Coastal She-Oak Slender Bluetongue      NSW                                  1                  

T2006         Cyclodomorphus praealtus             Shea, 1995                                      Alpine She-Oak Slender Bluetongue        NSW                                  3

T2007         Cyclodomorphus melanops            Shea and Miller,1995                       Samphire Slender Bluetongue                  NSW,Vic,SA                      3

T2008         Eulamprus tryoni                             Sadlier, 1998                                    Border Ranges

                                                                                                                                            Blue-spectacled Forest Skink           NSW,Qld                           3

T2009         Saproscincus oriaris                       Sadlier,1998                                     a shadeskink                                             NSW                                  3

T2010         Tympanocryptis pinguicolla             Smith et al, 1999                              an Earless Dragon                                    NSW, Vic,SA                     3

T2011         Cyclodomorphus venustus             Shea and Miller,1995                       a Slender Bluetongue                                NSW                                  3

T2012         Elseya georgesi                               Cann,1998                                       Bellinger River Turtle                                 NSW                                  3

T2013         Elseya belli                                      Cann, 1998                                      Namoi River Turtle                                    NSW                                  3

T2014         Elseya purvisi                                  Cann,1998                                       Manning River Turtle                                 NSW                                  3

T2015         Chelodina sp.                                                                                           an undescribed Northern Territory Turtle  NT                                      3

T2016         Chelodina sp.                                                                                           an undescribed Queensland Turtle          Qld                                     3

T2017         Elseya dentata ssp.                         Cann,1998                                       Burnett River Turtle                                   Qld                                     3

T2018         Elseya dentata ssp. (irwini)             Cann, 1998                                      Irwin’s Turtle                                              Qld                                     3

T2019         Elseya lavarackorum                       Cann, 1998                                      Lavarack’s Turtle                                       NT                                      3

T2020         Emydura tanybaraga                       Cann,1998                                       Northern Yellow-faced Turtle                    NT                                      3

T2021         Emydura sp.                                    Cann,1998                                       King Edward River Short-necked Turtle   WA                                     3

T2022         Emydura australis                           Cann,1998                                       North-western Red-faced Turtle               WA,NT,Qld                        3

T2023         Morelia spilota cheynei                    Wells and Wellington,1985              Jungle Carpet Python                                Qld                                     1

T2024         Morelia spilota mcdowelli                Wells and Wellington,1985              Coastal Carpet Python                              NSW,Qld                           1

T2025         Morelia spilota mcdowelli / spilota  Wells and Wellington,1985              Carpet/Diamond Python (intergrade)        NSW                                  1

T2026         Morelia spilota metcalfei                  Wells and Wellington,1985              Inland Carpet Python                                 NSW,Vic,Qld                     1

T2027         Morelia spilota spilota                      Wells and Wellington,1985              Diamond Python                                       NSW,Vic                            1

T2028         Morelia spilota variegata                  Wells and Wellington,1985              North-western Carpet Python                   NT,WA                               1

T2029         Morelia spilota imbricata                  Smith, 1981                                     South-western Carpet Python                  WA                                     1

T2030         Chelodina burrungandjii                                                                           Sandstone Long-necked Turtle                 NT                                      3

T2031         Emydura macquarii dharra                                                                      Macleay River Short-necked Turtle           NSW                                  1

T2032         Emydura macquarii gunaburra                                                                Hunter River Short-necked Turtle             NSW                                  1

T2033         Chelodina sp.                                                                                           Gilbert River Long-necked Turtle              Qld                                     3

T2034         Emydura sp.                                                                                             Leichhardt River Short-necked Turtle       Qld                                     3

T2035         Elseya flaviventralis                                                                                  Yellow-bellied Snapping Turtle                  NT                                      3

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