Reptiles of
Japan 

Related checklists:  Hokkaido - Honshu - Kyushu - Shikoku - Tsushima Islands - Bonin Islands - Izu Islands - Minami Torishima - Ryukyu Islands - Volcano Islands

Bibliography of the reptiles of Japan Taxonomic history of the reptiles of Japan Introduced species
Home - Taxonomy - Geography - Biodiversity - Literature - Purchase RepFocus Recent updates
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

Spennemann 2021

Lizards (Sauria)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Agamidae (Agamas and Dragons)
Genus Diploderma (Eastern Mountain Agamas)
 
Diploderma polygonatum

Japanese Mountain Agama

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Manthey 2010 Ota 1991 Ota 2003 Stejneger 1907 Wang, Gao, Wu, Dong, Feng, Shen, Jin, Shi, Qi, Siler & Che 2021 Wang, Ren, Wu, Jiang, Jin, Hou, Zheng, Xie, Siler & Che 2021 Wermuth 1967
 Family Eublepharidae (Eyelid Geckos)
Genus Goniurosaurus (East Asian Leopard Geckos)
  *
Goniurosaurus kuroiwae

Okinawa Leopard Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Grismer, Viets & Boyle 1999 Nakamura, Takahashi & Ota 2014 Seufer, Kaverkin & Kirschner (eds.) 2005
  *
Goniurosaurus orientalis

Tonaki Leopard Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Grismer, Viets & Boyle 1999 Honda & Ota 2017 Johnson 1969 Seufer, Kaverkin & Kirschner (eds.) 2005
  *
Goniurosaurus splendens

Tokuno Leopard Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Grismer, Viets & Boyle 1999 Seufer, Kaverkin & Kirschner (eds.) 2005
  *
Goniurosaurus toyamai

Iheya Leopard Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Grismer, Viets & Boyle 1999 Seufer, Kaverkin & Kirschner (eds.) 2005
  *
Goniurosaurus yamashinae

Kume Leopard Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Grismer, Viets & Boyle 1999 Seufer, Kaverkin & Kirschner (eds.) 2005
 Family Gekkonidae (Typical Geckos)
Genus Gehyra (Four-clawed Geckos)
  *
Gehyra intermedia

Ryukyu Stump-toed Gecko

Brown 1902 Wermuth 1965
 
Gehyra mutilata

Common Four-clawed Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Grandison 1972 McCoy 1980 Stejneger 1907 Zhao & Adler 1993
Genus Gekko (Tokays)
 
Gekko hokouensis

Hokou Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Sakaguchi, Ikehara & Hikida 1993 Roesler, Bauer, Heinicke, Greenbaum, Jackman, Nguyen & Ziegler 2011 Zhao & Adler 1993
 
Gekko japonicus

Japanese Giant Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Roesler, Bauer, Heinicke, Greenbaum, Jackman, Nguyen & Ziegler 2011 Stejneger 1907 Wermuth 1965 Zhao & Adler 1993
  *
Gekko shibatai

Tokara Narrow-disked Gecko

Roesler, Bauer, Heinicke, Greenbaum, Jackman, Nguyen & Ziegler 2011 Toda, Sengoku, Hikida & Ota 2008
  *
Gekko tawaensis

Tawa Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Roesler, Bauer, Heinicke, Greenbaum, Jackman, Nguyen & Ziegler 2011 Wermuth 1965
  *
Gekko vertebralis

Spine-patterned Gecko

Roesler, Bauer, Heinicke, Greenbaum, Jackman, Nguyen & Ziegler 2011 Toda, Sengoku, Hikida & Ota 2008
  *
Gekko yakuensis

Yaku Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Matsui & Okada 1968 Roesler, Bauer, Heinicke, Greenbaum, Jackman, Nguyen & Ziegler 2011
Genus Hemidactylus (Half-toed Geckos)
 
Hemidactylus bowringii

Hong Kong House Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 McMahan & Zug 2007 Wermuth 1965 Zhao & Adler 1993
  *
Hemidactylus marmoratus

Riu Kiu Half-toed Gecko

Stejneger 1907 Wermuth 1965
Genus Hemiphyllodactylus (Slender Geckos)
 
Hemiphyllodactylus typus

Indo-Pacific Slender Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota 1990 Zug 2010
Genus Lepidodactylus (Scaly-toed Geckos)
 
Lepidodactylus lugubris

Common Mourning Gecko

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Fischer, Ineich & Case 1995 Wermuth 1965 Zhao & Adler 1993
Genus Perochirus (Saw-tailed Geckos)
 
Perochirus ateles

Micronesian Saw-tailed Gecko

Brown 1976 Goris & Maeda 2005
 Family Lacertidae (Typical Lizards)
Genus Takydromus (Oriental Grass Lizards)
 
Takydromus amurensis

Amur Grass Lizard

Goris & Maeda 2005 Zhao & Adler 1993
  *
Takydromus dorsalis

Sakishima Grass Lizard

Arnold 1997 Bischoff 1992 Goris & Maeda 2005 Stejneger 1907
  *
Takydromus smaragdinus

Emerald Grass Lizard

Arnold 1997 Bischoff 1992 Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Stejneger 1907 Takeda & Ota 1996
  *
Takydromus tachydromoides

Japanese Grass Lizard

Arnold 1997 Bischoff 1992 Goris & Maeda 2005 Stejneger 1907
  *
Takydromus toyamai

Miyako Grass Lizard

Arnold 1997 Goris & Maeda 2005 Takeda & Ota 1996
Genus Zootoca (Eurasian Forest Lizards)
 
Zootoca vivipara

Viviparous Lizard

Bischoff 1996 Goris & Maeda 2005 Zhao & Adler 1993
 Family Scincidae (Skinks)
Genus Ateuchosaurus (East Asian Short-legged Skinks)
  *
Ateuchosaurus okinavensis

Okinawa Short-legged Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 [as pellopleurus] Johnson 1969 [as p. pellopleurus] Makino, Nakano, Okamoto & Hikida 2023 Thompson 1912
  *
Ateuchosaurus pellopleurus

Amami Short-legged Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Makino, Nakano, Okamoto & Hikida 2023 Stejneger 1907
Genus Cryptoblepharus (Indo-Pacific Snake-eyed Skinks)
  *
Cryptoblepharus nigropunctatus

Ogasawara Snake-eyed Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Hasegawa, Kusano & Miyashita 1988 Horner 2007 Ineich & Blanc 1988 [as poecilopleurus] Mertens 1933 Mertens 1964 Stejneger 1907 Zug 2013
Genus Emoia (Emo Skinks)
 
Emoia atrocostata

Pacific Mangrove Skink

Brown 1991 Goris & Maeda 2005 Zhao & Adler 1993
Genus Plestiodon (Blue-tailed Skinks)
  *
Plestiodon barbouri

Amami Islands Blue-tailed Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Kato, Ota & Hikida 1994 Taylor 1935
 
Plestiodon elegans

Elegant Five-lined Skink

Kato, Ota & Hikida 1994 Ota, Sakaguchi, Ikehara & Hikida 1993 Zhao & Adler 1993
 
Plestiodon finitimus

Northern Japanese Blue-tailed Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 [as japonicus] Okamoto & Hikida 2012
  *
Plestiodon japonicus

Japanese Five-lined Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Kato, Ota & Hikida 1994 Okamoto & Hikida 2012 Stejneger 1907
  *
Plestiodon kishinouyei

Ryukyu Islands Giant Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Stejneger 1907
  *
Plestiodon kuchinoshimensis

Kuchinoshima Five-lined Skink

Kurita & Hikida 2014
  *
Plestiodon latiscutatus

Izu Islands Five-lined Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Hasegawa 1994 [as okadae] Kato, Ota & Hikida 1994 [as okadae] Okamoto & Hikida 2012 Taylor 1935 [as okadae]
  *
Plestiodon marginatus

Ryukyu Five-lined Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Kato, Ota & Hikida 1994 Motokawa, Toyama & Hikida 2001 Taylor 1935
  *
Plestiodon stimpsonii

Yaeyama Seven-lined Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 Kato, Ota & Hikida 1994 Taylor 1935
  *
Plestiodon takarai

Senkaku Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005 [as elegans] Kurita, Ota & Hikida 2017
Genus Scincella (South Asian and American Ground Skinks)
  *
Scincella boettgeri

Sakishima Ground Skink

Goris & Maeda 2005
  *
Scincella dunan

Yonagunijima Ground Skink

Koizumi, Ota & Hikida 2022
 
Scincella vandenburghi

Tsushima Ground Skink

Chen, Hikida, Han, Shim, Oh & Ota 2001 Goris & Maeda 2005

Snakes (Serpentes)
= endemicEX = extinct or assumed extinct

Species
References
 Family Colubridae (Typical Snakes or Colubrids)
Genus Calamaria (Oriental Reed Snakes)
 
Calamaria pavimentata

Brown Reed Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Inger & Marx 1965 Zhao & Adler 1993
  *
Calamaria pfefferi

Ryukyu Reed Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Koch, Arida, McGuire, Iskandar & Boehme 2009
Genus Elaphe (Palearctic-Oriental Rat Snakes)
 
Elaphe carinata

East Asian Keeled Rat Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Sakaguchi, Ikehara & Hikida 1993 Schulz 1996
 
Elaphe climacophora

Japanese Green Rat Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Qi, Shi, Ma, Gao, Bu, Grismer, Li & Wang 2021 Schulz 1996
 
Elaphe quadrivirgata

Japanese Four-lined Rat Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Qi, Shi, Ma, Gao, Bu, Grismer, Li & Wang 2021 Schulz 1996
 
Elaphe taeniura

Stripe-tailed Rat Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Schulz 1996 Stejneger 1907 Zhao & Adler 1993
Genus Euprepiophis (East Asian Rat Snakes)
 
Euprepiophis conspicillatus

Japanese Forest Rat Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Schulz 1996
Genus Hebius (Oriental Equatorial Keelbacks)
  *
Hebius concelarus

Miyako Islands Keelback

Lalremsanga, Bal, Vogel & Biakzuala 2022 Malnate & Munsterman 1960 [as Natrix p. pryeri] Malnate 1963 Ota & Iwanaga 1997 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
  *
Hebius ishigakiensis

Yaeyama Water Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Lalremsanga, Bal, Vogel & Biakzuala 2022 Malnate & Munsterman 1960 Malnate 1962 Ota & Iwanaga 1997 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
  *
Hebius pryeri

Ryukyu Keelback

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Malnate & Munsterman 1960 Malnate 1962 Ota & Iwanaga 1997 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
 
Hebius vibakari

Northeastern Forest Keelback

Goris & Maeda 2005 Malnate 1962 Zhao & Adler 1993
Genus Lycodon (Oriental Wolf Snakes)
  *
Lycodon multifasciatus

Ryukyu Mountain Wolf Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Vogel, David, Pauwels, Sumontha, Norval, Hendrix, Vu & Ziegler 2009 Vogel, Nguyen, Kingsada & Ziegler 2012
 
Lycodon orientalis

East Asian Wolf Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Stejneger 1907 Tokuda, Shoji & Terashima 2012
 
Lycodon rufozonatus

Red-banded Big-toothed Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Sakaguchi, Ikehara & Hikida 1993 Stejneger 1907 Zhao & Adler 1993
  *
Lycodon semicarinatus

Tricolored Banded Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Wang, Qi, Lyu, Zeng & Wang 2020
Genus Opisthotropis (Mountain Stream Keelbacks)
  *
Opisthotropis kikuzatoi

Ryukyu Mountain Stream Keelback

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota 2004
Genus Ptyas (Giant Rat Snakes and Oriental Green Snakes)
  *
Ptyas herminae

Sakishima Green Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Kidera & Ota 2017 Stejneger 1907
  *
Ptyas semicarinata

Ryukyu Green Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969
Genus Rhabdophis (Asian Keelbacks)
  *
Rhabdophis tigrinus

Japanese Tiger Keelback

Doria, Petri, Bellati, Tiso & Pistarino 2013 Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Chen, Lin & Toriba 1999 Stejneger 1907 Zhao & Adler 1993
 Family Elapidae [part 1: terrestrial species] (Cobras, Mambas, etc.)
Genus Sinomicrurus (East Asian Coral Snakes)
  *
Sinomicrurus boettgeri

Okinawa Coral Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Ito & Lin 1999 Smart, Ingrasci, Sarker, Lalremsanga, Murphy, Ota, Tu, Shouche, Orlov & Smith 2021
  *
Sinomicrurus iwasakii

Ishigaki Coral Snake

Golay, Smith, Broadley, Dixon, McCarthy, Rage, Schatti & Toriba 1993 Goris & Maeda 2005 Maki 1935 Smart, Ingrasci, Sarker, Lalremsanga, Murphy, Ota, Tu, Shouche, Orlov & Smith 2021 Zhao & Adler 1993 [as macclellandii]
  *
Sinomicrurus japonicus

Ryukyu Coral Snake

Golay, Smith, Broadley, Dixon, McCarthy, Rage, Schatti & Toriba 1993 Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota, Ito & Lin 1999 Smart, Ingrasci, Sarker, Lalremsanga, Murphy, Ota, Tu, Shouche, Orlov & Smith 2021 Stejneger 1907
 Family Elapidae [part 2: marine species] (Sea Snakes)
Genus Emydocephalus (Turtle-headed Sea Snakes)
 
Emydocephalus ijimae

Japanese Turtle-headed Sea Snake

Cogger in Dunson (ed.) 1975 Goris & Maeda 2005 Smith 1926 Stejneger 1907 Zhao & Adler 1993
Genus Hydrophis (Typical Sea Snakes)
 
Hydrophis curtus

Short Sea Snake

Bosch 1985 [as Lapemis hardwickii] Haas 1950 [as Lapemis hardwickii] Mertens 1930 [as Lapemis hardwickii] Smith 1926 [as Lapemis hardwickii] Smith 1943 [as Lapemis hardwickii] Taylor 1965 [as Lapemis hardwickii]
 
Hydrophis cyanocinctus

Blue-banded Sea Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Smith 1926 Smith 1943 Stejneger 1907
 
Hydrophis melanocephalus

Black-headed Slender-necked Sea Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Masunaga, Nagai, Tanase & Ota 2005 Smith 1926 Zhao & Adler 1993
 
Hydrophis ornatus

Reef Sea Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Haas 1950 Smith 1926 Toriba & Nakamoto 1991 Zhao & Adler 1993
 
Hydrophis platurus

Yellow-bellied Sea Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ineich 1988 Smith 1926 Stejneger 1907
 
Hydrophis stokesii

Large-headed Sea Snake

Sasai, Yamamoto, Oka & Toda 2021
Genus Laticauda (Sea Kraits)
 
Laticauda colubrina

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait

Gherghel, Papes, Brischoux, Sahlean & Strugariu 2016 Goris & Maeda 2005 Heatwole, Busack & Cogger 2005 Kharin, Roedel & Hallermann 2010 McCarthy 1986 Ota, Takahashi & Kamezaki 1985 Smith 1926 Zhao & Adler 1993
 
Laticauda laticaudata

Blue-lipped Sea Krait

Goris & Maeda 2005 Kharin, Roedel & Hallermann 2010 Kubota, Tanase & Kishida 2010 McCarthy 1986 Smith 1926 Stejneger 1907 Tandavanitj, Mitani & Toda 2013
 
Laticauda semifasciata

Erabu Sea Krait

Goris & Maeda 2005 Kharin, Roedel & Hallermann 2010 McCarthy 1986 Smith 1926 Stejneger 1907 Tandavanitj, Mitani & Toda 2013
 Family Pareidae (Oriental Slug Eaters)
Genus Pareas (Typical Oriental Slug Eaters)
  *
Pareas iwasakii

Ryukyu Slug Eater

Ding, Chen, Suwannapoom, Nguyen, Pogarkov & Vogel 2020 Goris & Maeda 2005 Vogel, Nguyen, Lalremsanga, Biakzuala, Hrima & Poyarkov 2020 Yang, Yeung, Huang & Yang 2021
 Family Viperidae (Vipers)
Genus Gloydius (Mamushis)
 
Gloydius blomhoffii

Japanese Mamushi

Gloyd & Conant 1990 Goris & Maeda 2005 Gumprecht, Tillack, Orlov, Captain & Ryabov 2004 Vogel 2006
  *
Gloydius tsushimaensis

Tsushima Mamushi

Goris & Maeda 2005 Gumprecht, Tillack, Orlov, Captain & Ryabov 2004 Vogel 2006
Genus Ovophis (Asian Mountain Pitvipers)
  *
Ovophis okinavensis

Kufah

Goris & Maeda 2005 Gumprecht, Tillack, Orlov, Captain & Ryabov 2004 Johnson 1969 Stejneger 1907 Vogel 2006
Genus Protobothrops (Habus and allies)
  *
Protobothrops elegans

Elegant Pitviper

Golay, Smith, Broadley, Dixon, McCarthy, Rage, Schatti & Toriba 1993 Goris & Maeda 2005 Gumprecht, Tillack, Orlov, Captain & Ryabov 2004 McDiarmid, Campbell & Toure 1999 Stejneger 1907 Vogel 2006
  *
Protobothrops flavoviridis

Common Habu

Goris & Maeda 2005 Gumprecht, Tillack, Orlov, Captain & Ryabov 2004 Stejneger 1907
  *
Protobothrops tokarensis

Tokara Habu

Golay, Smith, Broadley, Dixon, McCarthy, Rage, Schatti & Toriba 1993 Gumprecht, Tillack, Orlov, Captain & Ryabov 2004 Vogel 2006
 Family Xenodermidae (Asian Litter Snakes)
Genus Achalinus (East Asian Burrowing Snakes)
 
Achalinus formosanus

Taiwanese Burrowing Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Ota & Toyama 1989 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 Zhao & Adler 1993
 
Achalinus spinalis

Grey Burrowing Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005
  *
Achalinus werneri

Amami Burrowing Snake

Goris & Maeda 2005 Johnson 1969 Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014

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

Goris & Maeda 2005 King & Burke 1989 Pritchard 1979 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Uchida & Nishiwaki in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
Genus Chelonia (Green Sea Turtle)
 
Chelonia mydas

Green Sea Turtle

Goris & Maeda 2005 King & Burke 1989 Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Sato, Tachikawa, Kimura & Kurata 1997 Uchida & Nishiwaki in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
Genus Eretmochelys (Hawksbill Sea Turtle)
 
Eretmochelys imbricata

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Goris & Maeda 2005 King & Burke 1989 Pritchard 1979 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Sato, Tachikawa, Kimura & Kurata 1997 Uchida & Nishiwaki in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
Genus Lepidochelys (Ridley Sea Turtles)
 
Lepidochelys olivacea

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Goris & Maeda 2005 King & Burke 1989 Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992 Pritchard 1979 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Uchida & Nishiwaki in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
 Family Dermochelyidae (Leatherback Sea Turtle)
Genus Dermochelys (Leatherback Sea Turtle)
 
Dermochelys coriacea

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Goris & Maeda 2005 King & Burke 1989 Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Uchida & Nishiwaki in Bjorndal (ed.) 1982
 Family Geoemydidae (Eastern Pond Turtles)
Genus Cuora (Asian Box Turtles)
  *
Cuora evelynae

Riu Kiu Yellow-margined Box Turtle

Ernst & Lovich 1990 Goris & Maeda 2005 Iverson 1992 Ota, Yasukawa, Fu & Chen 2009 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Wermuth & Mertens 1977 [as flavomarginata] Zhao & Adler 1993 [as flavomarginata]
Genus Geoemyda (Black-breasted Leaf Turtles)
  *
Geoemyda japonica

Ryukyu Black-breasted Leaf Turtle

Fritz & Havas 2006 Goris & Maeda 2005 Iverson 1992 Johnson 1969 King & Burke 1989 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Wermuth & Mertens 1977 Yasukawa & Ota 2008
Genus Mauremys (Stripe-necked Turtles)
  *
Mauremys japonica

Japanese Pond Turtle

Fritz & Havas 2006 Goris & Maeda 2005 Iverson 1992 King & Burke 1989 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021 Yasukawa, Yabe & Ota 2008
 
Mauremys mutica

Yellow Pond Turtle

Goris & Maeda 2005 Iverson 1992 Rhodin, Iverson, Bour, Fritz, Georges, Shaffer & Dijk 2021
 Family Trionychidae (Softshell Turtles)
Genus Pelodiscus (East Asian Softshell Turtles)
 
Pelodiscus maackii

Amur Softshell Turtle

Suzuki & Hikida 2014