List of reptiles of Israel

Israel has 92 species of reptiles, almost a third of which live in its northern areas. The reptiles of Israel live in environments ranging from the Negev Desert to the Red Sea, from the Jordan River to the Judaean Mountains.

Turtles and tortoises

Pond turtles

  • Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica)
  • Balkan pond turtle (Mauremys rivulata)

Sea turtles

  • Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
  • Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
  • Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Softshell turtles

  • African softshell turtle (Trionyx triunguis)

Tortoises

  • Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca)
  • Negev tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni)

Lizards

Agamid lizards

  • Starred agama (Stellagama stellio)
  • Aqaba agama (Pseudotrapelus aqabensis)
  • Desert agama (Trapelus agnetae)
  • Savigny's agama (Trapelus savignii)
  • Egyptian mastigure (Uromastyx aegyptia)
  • Ornate mastigure (Uromastyx ornata)
A bright blue male Sinai agama during the breeding season.

Chameleons

Geckos

Glass lizards

Lacertid lizards

Ophisops elegans

Monitor lizards

Skinks

Snakes

Blindsnakes

Boas

Colubrid snakes

A black whipsnake (Dolichophis jugularis) preying on a European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus) in the Valley of Elah.

Elapid snakes

Lamprophiid snakes

Mole vipers

Vipers

See also

References