List of amphibians and reptiles of Saint Kitts and Nevis

This is a list of amphibians and reptiles found on the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, a two-island nation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. The islands are separated by a narrow strait that is only 3.2 km wide and 15 m deep, and thus the two islands have very similar faunas.

Location of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean.

Amphibians

There are two species of amphibian recorded on Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Frogs (Anura)

Tropical frogs (Leptodactylidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Eleutherodactylus johnstoneiLesser Antillean Whistling Frog, Coqui Antillano, Johnstone's Whistling FrogLeast Concern.[1]
True toads (Bufonidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Bufo marinusCane Toad, Giant Neotropical Toad, Marine ToadLeast Concern. Introduced.


Reptiles

Including marine turtles and introduced species, there are 14 reptile species reported on Saint Kitts and 12 species on Nevis.


Turtles (Testudines)

Tortoises (Testudinidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Geochelone carbonariaRed-Footed TortoisePresence on Saint Kitts questioned; not present on Nevis.
Scaly sea turtles (Cheloniidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Caretta carettaLoggerhead TurtleEndangered.
Chelonia mydasGreen TurtleEndangered.
Eretmochelys imbricataHawksbill TurtleCritically Endangered.
Leathery sea turtles (Dermochelyidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Dermochelys coriaceaLeatherback TurtleCritically Endangered.

Lizards and snakes (Squamata)

Geckos (Gekkonidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Hemidactylus mabouiaHouse GeckoIntroduced. Not recorded on Nevis.
Sphaerodactylus sabanusSaba Least GeckoRegional endemic.
Sphaerodactylus sputatorIsland Least GeckoRegional endemic. Highly abundant.
Thecadactylus rapicaudaTurnip-Tailed GeckoRare.
Iguanas and Anolids (Iguanidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Anolis bimaculatusPanther AnoleRegional endemic. Relatively common and widely distributed up to 300 m in elevation.
Anolis schwartziSchwartz's Anole, Watts' AnoleTaxonomy as separate species unclear; alternately described as a subspecies of A. wattsi. Regional endemic. Common and widespread.
Whiptails (Teiidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Ameiva erythrocephalaSt. Christopher AmeivaRegional endemic; scarce.
Worm snakes (Typhlopidae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Typhlops monastusMontserrat Worm Snake,Regional endemic; populations found on Saint Kitts and Nevis are of subspecies T. m. geotomus.
Colubrids (Colubridae)
SpeciesCommon name(s)NotesImage
Alsophis rufiventrisRed-bellied Racer, Orange-bellied Racer, Saba RacerEndangered. Regional endemic.

Notes

  1. Conservation status, where available, is from the IUCN Red List and is indicative of the status of the species as a whole, not just populations on Saint Kitts and Nevis.

References

Note: All records of species that listed above are supported by Malhotra & Thorpe 1999, unless otherwise cited.

  • Malhotra, Anita; Thorpe, Roger S. (1999), Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean, Macmillan Education Ltd., pp. 65–68, ISBN 0-333-69141-5.
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