Reptiles of the
Bismarck Archipelago [Papua New Guinea]

Related checklists:  Papua New Guinea - Admiralty Islands - New Britain - New Ireland - Saint Matthias Islands - Hermit Islands

Bibliography of the reptiles of Bismarck Archipelago Taxonomic history of the reptiles of Bismarck Archipelago Introduced species
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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. www.repfocus.dk (Compilation date: 14th April, 2023).

Checklist
General remarks: The list includes only formally described species. Newly discovered, but still unnamed species are excluded. However, unnamed species or species unassigned to species level are included, if they are the only representatives of their genus in the region. Species counts exclude extinct and introduced species. Doubtful records, typically older voucher specimens of uncertain origin, have been excluded if considered questionable, as are records based on sources considered unreliable or controversial.
Note: Your comments to the checklist (omissions, errors, etc.) are welcomed, preferably if they are provided with reliable references. If possible, please attach a pdf file of the relevant reference to an email addressed to:
Crocodilians (Crocodylia)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Crocodylidae (Crocodiles)
Genus Crocodylus (Typical Crocodiles)
 
Crocodylus porosus

Saltwater Crocodile

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Wermuth & Mertens 1977 Whitaker 1980 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982

Lizards (Sauria)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Agamidae (Agamas and Dragons)
Genus Hypsilurus (Eastern Anglehead Agamas)
 
Hypsilurus godeffroyi

Greater Crested Anglehead Agama

Hediger 1934 Manthey & Denzer 2006
 
Hypsilurus longii

Bismarck Anglehead Agama

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 [as godeffroyi] Manthey & Denzer 2006 Richards 2011
 
Hypsilurus modestus

Green Anglehead Agama

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Manthey & Denzer 2006 Richards 2011
  *
Hypsilurus schoedei

Rambutyo Anglehead Agama

Manthey & Denzer 2006
 Family Gekkonidae (Typical Geckos)
Genus Cyrtodactylus (Australasian Bent-toed Geckos)
  *
Cyrtodactylus crustulus

Manus Island Bent-toed Gecko

Kraus & Allison 2006 [as sermowaiensis] Oliver, Hartman, Turner, Wilde, Austin & Richards 2020
Genus Gehyra (Four-clawed Geckos)
 
Gehyra mutilata

Common Four-clawed Gecko

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Bauer 1994 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934
 
Gehyra oceanica

Oceanic Gecko

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Bauer 1994 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Oliver, Clegg, Fisher, Richards, Taylor & Jocque 2016 Tanner 1951 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
  *
Gehyra rohan

Rohan Stump-toed Gecko

Oliver, Clegg, Fisher, Richards, Taylor & Jocque 2016
Genus Gekko (Tokays)
 
Gekko vittatus

White-striped Gecko

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Bauer 1994 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Roesler, Ineich, Wilms & Boehme 2012
Genus Hemidactylus (Half-toed Geckos)
 
Hemidactylus frenatus

Asian House Gecko

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Bauer 1994 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
Genus Lepidodactylus (Scaly-toed Geckos)
 
Lepidodactylus guppyi

Solomon Islands Scaly-toed Gecko

Bauer 1994 Brown & Parker 1977 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934
 
Lepidodactylus lugubris

Common Mourning Gecko

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Bauer 1994 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934
 
Lepidodactylus pulcher

Admiralty Islands Scaly-toed Gecko

Bauer 1994 Brown & Parker 1977
Genus Nactus (Hook-toed Geckos)
  *
Nactus kunan

Manus Island Hook-toed Gecko

Zug & Fisher 2012
 
Nactus robertfisheri

Bismarcks Hook-toed Gecko

Allison & Bigilale 2001 [as "cf. pelagicus"] Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Hediger 1934 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982 Zug 2020
 Family Pygopodidae (Flap-footed Lizards)
Genus Lialis (Long-headed Scaly-foots)
 
Lialis jicari

New Guinea Snake Lizard

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Kluge 1974
 Family Scincidae (Skinks)
Genus Carlia (Australian-Pacific Rainbow Skinks)
  *
Carlia ailanpalai

Admiralty Islands Rainbow Skink

Greer 1982 [as fusca] Shea & Kraus 2007 Zug 2004
 
Carlia mysi

Morobe Rainbow Skink

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Richards 2011 Zug 2004
Genus Cryptoblepharus (Indo-Pacific Snake-eyed Skinks)
 
Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus

Oceanic Snake-eyed Skink

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Mertens 1964 Mys 1988
Genus Emoia (Emo Skinks)
 
Emoia atrocostata

Pacific Mangrove Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
  *
Emoia bismarckensis

Bismarck Slender Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007
 
Emoia caeruleocauda

Pacific Blue-tailed Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 [as werneri]
 
Emoia cyanogaster

Pacific Green-bellied Tree Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934
 
Emoia cyanura

White-bellied Copper-striped Skink

Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer 1982 Zug 1991
 
Emoia impar

Dark-bellied Copper-striped Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Ineich & Zug 1991 Werner 1898 Zug 1991
 
Emoia jakati

Jakati River Slender Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Richards 2011
 
Emoia kordoana

Supiori Slender Tree Skink

Brown 1991 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer 1982 [as iridescens] Hediger 1934 [as beccari] Richards 2011
 
Emoia longicauda

Long-tailed Slender Tree Skink

Brown 1991
  *
Emoia mivarti

Admiralty Islands Slender Skink

Brown 1991 Greer 1982
 
Emoia nigra

South Pacific Black Skink

Brown 1991
 
Emoia pallidiceps

Mafulu Slender Skink

Brown 1991
Genus Eugongylus (Short-legged Giant Skinks)
 
Eugongylus albofasciolatus

White-banded Giant Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Allison, Hamilton & Tallowin 2019 Brongersma 1948 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Mys 1988 Richards 2011 Rooij 1915 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
 
Eugongylus rufescens

Reddish Giant Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 Mys 1988
Genus Geomyersia (Dwarf Flat Skinks)
  *
Geomyersia coggeri

Admiralty Islands Dwarf Flat Skink

Greer 1982 Mys 1988 Tallowin & Allison 2013
Genus Lamprolepis (Malay Archipelago Tree Skinks)
 
Lamprolepis smaragdina

Emerald Tree Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 Mertens 1929 Mys 1988 Rooij 1915 Tanner 1951 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
Genus Lipinia (Indo-Pacific Striped Skinks)
  *
Lipinia rouxi

New Ireland Striped Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Greer & Mys 1987 Hediger 1934 Mys 1988
Genus Ornithuroscincus (Smooth-eared Skinks)
 
Ornithuroscincus noctua

Moth Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer & Mys 1987 Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 Mys 1988 Rooij 1915 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982 Zweifel 1979
Genus Sphenomorphus (Indo-Pacific Forest Skinks)
 
Sphenomorphus jobiensis

Yapen Forest Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Burt & Burt 1932 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 [as "cf. jobiensis"] Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 Mys 1988 Richards 2011 Rooij 1915 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
 
Sphenomorphus pratti

Dinawa Forest Skink

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Mys 1988 Richards 2011 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
 
Sphenomorphus simus

Papuan Black-sided Forest Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Mys 1988 [as stickeli] Richards 2011 Shea 2017 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982 [as stickeli]
 
Sphenomorphus solomonis

Solomon Forest Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Greer & Parker 1974 Greer 1982 Hediger 1934 Mys 1988 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
 
Sphenomorphus tanneri

Pale-spotted Forest Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Mys 1988
  *
Sphenomorphus wolfi

Bismarck Archipelago Forest Skink

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Sternfeld 1920
Genus Tiliqua (Blue-tongued Skinks)
 
Tiliqua gigas

Giant Blue-tongued Skink

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Mys 1988 Shea 1990
Genus Tribolonotus (Casque-headed Skinks)
  *
Tribolonotus annectens

New Britain Casque-headed Skink

Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Mys 1988 Zweifel 1966
  *
Tribolonotus brongersmai

Manus Island Casque-headed Skink

Greer 1982 Mys 1988 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982
 Family Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
  *
Varanus douarrha

New Ireland Mangrove Monitor

Allison & Bigilale 2001 [as V. finschi] Dryden & Ziegler in Pianka, King & King (eds.) 2004 [as indicus] Lesson 1830 Philipp, Boehme & Ziegler 1999 [as indicus] Philipp, Ziegler & Boehme in Pianka, King & King (eds.) 2004 [as finschi] Weijola, Kraus, Vahtera, Lindqvist & Donnellan 2017 Ziegler, Philipp & Boehme 1999 [as finschi] Ziegler, Schmitz, Koch & Boehme 2007 [as indicus]
  *
Varanus finschi

New Britain Mangrove Monitor

Boehme, Horn & Ziegler 1994 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Philipp, Ziegler & Boehme in Pianka, King & King (eds.) 2004 Weijola, Donnellan & Lindquist 2016 Weijola, Kraus, Vahtera, Lindqvist & Donnellan 2017 Ziegler, Philipp & Boehme 1999
 
Varanus indicus

Pacific Monitor

Boehme 2003 Dryden & Ziegler in Pianka, King & King (eds.) 2004 Philipp, Boehme & Ziegler 1999 Weijola, Donnellan & Lindquist 2016 Weijola, Kraus, Vahtera, Lindqvist & Donnellan 2017 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982 Ziegler, Schmitz, Koch & Boehme 2007
  *
Varanus semotus

Mussau Mangrove Monitor

Weijola, Donnellan & Lindquist 2016 Weijola, Kraus, Vahtera, Lindqvist & Donnellan 2017

Snakes (Serpentes)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Acrochordidae (Australasian File Snakes)
Genus Acrochordus (Australasian File Snakes)
 
Acrochordus granulatus

Lesser File Snake

Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 McDiarmid, Campbell & Toure 1999 McDowell 1979 O'Shea 1996 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
 Family Boidae (Typical Boas)
Genus Candoia (Pacific Boas)
 
Candoia aspera

Viper Boa

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 McDiarmid, Campbell & Toure 1999 McDowell 1979 O'Shea 1996 Rooij 1917
 
Candoia carinata

Pacific Tree Boa

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 McDowell 1979 O'Shea 1996 Richards 2011 Smith, Chiszar, Tepedelen & Breukelen 2001
 
Candoia paulsoni

Pacific Ground Boa

Clegg & Jocque 2016 O'Shea 1996 Smith, Chiszar, Tepedelen & Breukelen 2001
 Family Colubridae (Typical Snakes or Colubrids)
Genus Boiga (Australasian Cat Snakes)
 
Boiga irregularis

Brown Cat Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 O'Shea 1996
Genus Dendrelaphis (Bronzebacks)
 
Dendrelaphis calligaster

Northern Australian Bronzeback

Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 O'Shea 1996 Rooijen & Vogel 2016 Rooijen, Vogel & Somaweera 2015 Whitaker, Whitaker & Mills 1982 [as salomonis]
 
Dendrelaphis lineolatus

Papuan Striped Bronzeback

Hediger 1934 Iskandar & Colijn 2001
 
Dendrelaphis macrops

Papuan Large-eyed Bronzeback

Allison & Bigilale 2001 [as punctulatus] Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 [as punctulatus] O'Shea 1996 [as punctulatus] Rooijen, Vogel & Somaweera 2015
Genus Stegonotus (Indo-Australian Ground Snakes)
  *
Stegonotus admiraltiensis

Admiralty Islands Ground Snake

Clegg & Jocque 2016 [as S. cf. modestus] Iskandar & Colijn 2001 [as S. modestus] Kaiser, Kaiser & O'Shea 2018 McDowell 1972 [as S. modestus] O'Shea 1996 [as S. modestus] Ruane, Richards, McVay, Tjaturadi, Krey & Austin 2017
  *
Stegonotus heterurus

Bismarck Ground Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 Kaiser, Kaiser & O'Shea 2018 McDowell 1972 O'Shea 1996
Genus Tropidonophis (Indo-Australian Keelbacks)
 
Tropidonophis dahlii

New Britain Keelback

Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 Malnate & Underwood 1988 O'Shea 1996
  *
Tropidonophis hypomelas

Bismarck Keelback

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 Malnate & Underwood 1988 O'Shea 1996
 Family Elapidae [part 1: terrestrial species] (Cobras, Mambas, etc.)
Genus Aspidomorphus (Papuan Crowned Snakes)
 
Aspidomorphus muelleri

Mount Lamantsiro Crowned Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Brongersma 1934 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 McDowell 1967 O'Shea 1996 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
 Family Elapidae [part 2: marine species] (Sea Snakes)
Genus Hydrophis (Typical Sea Snakes)
 
Hydrophis curtus

Short Sea Snake

O'Shea 1996
 
Hydrophis ornatus

Reef Sea Snake

O'Shea 1996
 
Hydrophis pacificus

Pacific Faint-banded Sea Snake

O'Shea 1996
 
Hydrophis platurus

Yellow-bellied Sea Snake

O'Shea 1996
Genus Laticauda (Sea Kraits)
 
Laticauda colubrina

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait

Heatwole, Busack & Cogger 2005 O'Shea 1996
 
Laticauda frontalis

Vanuatu Sea Krait

Kharin, Roedel & Hallermann 2010
 
Laticauda laticaudata

Blue-lipped Sea Krait

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Allison & Bigilale 2001 [by implication] Hediger 1934 O'Shea 1996
 Family Gerrhopilidae (Indo-Malayan Blind Snakes)
Genus Gerrhopilus (Indo-Malayan Blind Snakes)
 
Gerrhopilus depressiceps

Lowland Beaked Blind Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Foufopoulos 2001
  *
Gerrhopilus lestes

New Ireland Blind Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 [as depressiceps] Kraus 2017
 Family Pythonidae (Pythons)
Genus Bothrochilus (Bismarck Ringed Python)
 
Bothrochilus boa

Bismarck Ringed Python

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 McDiarmid, Campbell & Toure 1999 O'Shea 1996 Richards 2011
Genus Leiopython (White-lipped Pythons)
 
Leiopython albertisii

Northern White-lipped Python

Clegg & Jocque 2016 O'Shea 1996 Schleip 2008
Genus Simalia (Scrub Pythons)
 
Simalia amethistina

Amethystine Python

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Harvey, Barker, Ammerman & Chippindale 2000 Hediger 1934 Iskandar & Colijn 2001 O'Shea 1996
 Family Typhlopidae (Typical Blind Snakes)
Genus Acutotyphlops (Sharp-nosed Blind Snakes)
  *
Acutotyphlops subocularis

Bismarck Sharp-nosed Blind Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 Hediger 1934 McDiarmid, Campbell & Toure 1999 McDowell 1974 O'Shea 1996 Wallach 1995 Wallach, Brown, Diesmos & Gee 2007 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
Genus Ramphotyphlops (Western Pacific Blind Snakes)
 
Ramphotyphlops depressus

Melanesian Blind Snake

Allison & Bigilale 2001 Clegg & Jocque 2016 [as flaviventer] Foufopoulos & Richards 2007 McDiarmid, Campbell & Toure 1999 O'Shea 1996

Turtles (Testudines)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Cheloniidae (Hard-shelled Sea Turtles)
Genus Caretta (Loggerhead Sea Turtle)
 
Caretta caretta

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Spring in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
Genus Chelonia (Green Sea Turtle)
 
Chelonia mydas

Green Sea Turtle

Spring 1980
Genus Eretmochelys (Hawksbill Sea Turtle)
 
Eretmochelys imbricata

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Hediger 1934 Loveridge 1948 Spring in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
Genus Lepidochelys (Ridley Sea Turtles)
 
Lepidochelys olivacea

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Loveridge 1948 Spring 1980 Spring in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
 Family Dermochelyidae (Leatherback Sea Turtle)
Genus Dermochelys (Leatherback Sea Turtle)
 
Dermochelys coriacea

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Spring 1980 Spring in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982