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

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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 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