NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife - Reptiles of New Jersey

Reptiles of New Jersey

There are approximately 450 species of vertebrate wildlife which can be found within the Garden State, along with 85 freshwater fish. Our bays, estuaries and marine waters can be home to 28 marine mammals and 336 marine finfish at some point during the year. This is an exceptional number of species for a state as small as New Jersey. The table below lists reptiles which can be found, along with their status as defined below:

E - Endangered
T - Threatened
D - Decreasing

S - Stable
U - Undertermined
I - Introduced

For definitions of above terms and links to other checklists use the Checklists of NJ Wildlife page.

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME STATUS

Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra s. serpentina S

Stinkpot Sternotherus odoratus S

Eastern Mud Turtle Kinosternon s. subrubrum U

Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata U

Bog Turtle Clemmys muhlenbergi E

Wood Turtle Clemmys insculpta T

Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene c. carolina S

N. Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys t. terrapin D

Map Turtle Graptemys geographica U

Red-bellied Turtle Pseudemys rubriventris U

Red-eared Turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans I

Eastern Painted Turtle Chrysemys p. picta S

Midland Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta marginata U

Atlantic Green Turtle Chelonia mydas T

Atlantic Hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata E

Atlantic Loggerhead Caretta caretta E

Atlantic Ridley Lepidochelys kempi E

Atlantic Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea E

Eastern Spiny Softshell Trionyx spiniferus I

Northern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus S

Five-lined Skink Eumeces fasciatus U

Ground Skink Scincella lateralis U

Northern Water Snake Nerodia s. sipedon S

Queen Snake Regina septemvittata U

Northern Brown Snake Storeria d. dekayi S

Northern Red-bellied Snake Storeria o. occipitomaculata S

Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis s. sirtalis S

Eastern Ribbon Snake Thamnophis s. sauritus S

Eastern Smooth Earth Snake Virginia v. valeriae U

Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platyrhinos D

Northern Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsi S

Southern Ringneck Snake Diadophis p. punctatus S

Eastern Worm Snake Carphophis a. amoenus U

Northern Black Racer Coluber c. constrictor U

Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus S

Eastern Smooth Green Snake Opheodrys v. vernalis U

Corn Snake Elaphe g. guttata E

Black Rat Snake Elaphe o. obsoleta U

Northern Pine Snake Pituophis m. melanoleucus T

Eastern King Snake Lampropeltis g. getulus U

Eastern Milk Snake Lampropeltis t. triangulum S

Northern Scarlet Snake Cemophora coccinea copei U

Northern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen U

Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus h. horridus E