Thirty species of reptiles have been recorded in the US state of Minnesota, including 17 species of snakes, eleven species of turtle, and three species of lizard. ^[1] Of those 31 species, two ( Blanding's turtle and the wood turtle) have been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with another 20 listed as least concern and nine have not been evaluated.

Minnesota does not have an official state reptile. However, the Blanding's turtle was proposed as the reptile of the state in 1998 and 1999. ^[2]

Snakes

Common name	Scientific name	Conservation status	Description	Photograph
Eastern yellowbelly racer	Coluber constrictor flaviventris	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach 30–50 inches (76–127 cm); color varies from olive to blue to nearly black [3] [4]
Ringneck snake	Diadophis punctatus	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 8–15 inches (20–38 cm); has a distinct yellow ring around the neck; color varies from slate gray to olive [5] [6]
Black rat snake	Pantherophis obsoleta obsoleta	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach 42–72 inches (110–180 cm); adults appear shiny black; underbellies are white with black mottles [7]
Eastern fox snake	Pantherophis vulpinus	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 36–54 inches (91–137 cm); color varies from tan to greenish brown with large black blotches [8] [9]
Western hognose snake	Heterodon nasicus	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 16–26 inches (41–66 cm); color varies from light yellow or olive color with systematic brown blotches [10] [11]
Eastern hognose snake	Heterodon platyrhinos	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 20–33 inches (51–84 cm); color varies from gray to brown with dark brown markings [6] [12]
Eastern milk snake	Lamptopeltis triangulum triangulum	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach 24–36 inches (61–91 cm); repeating red, black-outlined blotches [13] [14]
Smooth green snake	Opheodrys vernalis (sometimes Liochlorophis vernalis)	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach 14–20 inches (36–51 cm); color varies from a uniform bright green to brownish green [15] [16]
Northern water snake	Nerodia sipedon	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 24–42 inches (61–107 cm); color varies from gray to reddish brown with dark brown crossbands [17] [18]
Bullsnake	Pituophis catenifer sayi	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach 37–72 inches (94–183 cm); color varies from tan to brown with large brown or black spots [19] [20]
DeKay's brown snake	Storeria dekayi	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 6–13 inches (15–33 cm); color varies from brown to reddish brown; two rows of dark spots across the back [21] [22]
Northern redbelly snake	Storeria occipitomaculata	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 8–10 inches (20–25 cm); color varies from gray-brown to reddish-brown [6] [23]
Plains garter snake	Thamnophis radix	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 15–28 inches (38–71 cm); similar to other garter snakes but with a yellow stripe down the side [24] [25]
Eastern garter snake	Thamnophis sirtalis	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 18–26 inches (46–66 cm); color varies from black to olive; usually has three yellowish stripes, one down the back and one along each side [26] [27]
Lined snake	Tropidoclonion lineatum	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach 8–15 inches (20–38 cm); colors range from gray to black with a lighter color stripe down the middle of the back [28] [29]
Timber rattlesnake	Crotalus horridus	Least concern	Venomous; adults reach 36–60 inches (91–152 cm); color varies from yellow to tan with dark markings on the back [30] [31]
Massasauga	Sistrurus catenatus	Least concern	Venomous; adults reach 18–30 inches (46–76 cm); color varies from gray to gray brown with dark brown blotches down the middle of the back and along both sides [32] [33]

Turtles

Common name	Scientific name	Conservation status	Description	Photograph
Blanding's turtle	Emydoidea blandingii	Endangered	Length of 6–9 inches (15–23 cm); yellow, long, narrow throat; domed carapace [34]
Common snapping turtle	Chelydra serpentina	Least concern	Length of 8–14 inches (20–36 cm); weight of 10–35 pounds (4.5–15.9 kg); shell color varies from tan to black [35]
Common musk turtle	Sternotherus odoratus	Least concern introduced
Smooth softshell turtle	Apalone mutica	Least concern
Red-eared slider	Trachemys scripta elegans	Least concern Introduced
False map turtle	Graptemys pseudogeographica	Least concern	Length of 3–10 inches (7.6–25.4 cm); upper shell has yellow connected circles or lines; lower shell is greenish-yellow [36]
Northern map turtle	Graptemys geographica	Least concern	Length of 6–10.75 inches (15.2–27.3 cm); fine yellow lines on a brown to olive shell [37]
Ouachita map turtle	Graptemys ouachitensis	Least concern	Length of 6–10 inches (15–25 cm); ridge down the center of the shell; bright yellow lines on the head and limbs [38]
Painted turtle	Chrysemys picta bellii	Least concern	Length of 4–10 inches (10–25 cm); carapace color varies from tan to olive, with markings on the neck [39]
Spiny softshell turtle	Apalone spinifera spinifera	Not evaluated	Female length of 7–19 inches (18–48 cm); male length of 5–9.25 inches (12.7–23.5 cm); olive to brown, flexible, smooth shell [40]
Wood turtle	Glyptemys insculpta (formerly Clemmys insculpta)	Endangered	Length of 5.5–8 inches (14–20 cm); rough, tan to gray carapace [41]

Lizards

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Description [a]	Photograph
Five-lined skink	Plestiodon fasciatus	Least concern	Total length of 5–8.5 inches (13–22 cm); maximum body length of 3.4 inches (8.6 cm); brown to black body with short legs; juveniles have a blueish tail that turns to grey with maturation [42] [43]
Prairie skink	Plestiodon septentrionalis	Least concern	Maximum body length of 8.8 inches (22 cm); juveniles are blue, adults are tan with black stripes [44]
Slender glass lizard	Ophisaurus attenuatus	Threatened
Six-lined racerunner	Aspidoscelis sexlineatus	Least concern	Total length of 6–10.5 inches (15–27 cm); maximum body length of 3.4 inches (8.6 cm); light yellow to white stripes alternating with black stripes down back [45]

Notes

• ^a Total length refers to the total length of the lizard. Maximum body length is the measurement from snout to cloaca of the lizard.

References

General

• "Missouri Department of Conservation Online". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
• "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved July 22, 2011.

Specific

Bibliography

• Breckenridge, Walter J. (1944). Reptiles and Amphibians of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN  0-8166-0573-4.
• Coffin, Barbara; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (1988). Minnesota's endangered flora and fauna. Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN  0-8166-1689-2.
• Harding, James H. (1997). Amphibians and reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. ISBN  0-472-06628-5.
• Tennant, Alan (1998). A field guide to Texas snakes. Austin, Texas: Gulf Publishing Company. ISBN  0-87719-277-4.

External links

• "Minnesota Herpetological Society".
• "Amphibian and Reptile Survey of Minnesota".