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List of reptiles of Singapore

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Green crested lizard
Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) at Bukit Batok
Water monitor
Water monitor (Varanus salvator) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

There are about 110 species of reptiles in Singapore.[1] Most of them are small or rarely seen, but there are a few which are large or prominent. The largest reptiles found in Singapore are the estuarine crocodile and the reticulated python. The ones most commonly seen in urban areas are the house geckos[2] (typically called house lizard by the lay-person) and the invasive changeable lizard. The changeable lizard has pushed the local green crested lizard into forested areas.

In gardens and parks, one can often see common sun skinks, the introduced red-eared sliders and flying lizards.

Water monitors are common in rivers and mangrove. Another monitor that can be found in Singapore is the clouded monitor, which is a forest species. It is smaller than the Malayan water monitor, has slit nostrils and is paler in colour. In 2008, the Dumeril's monitor was rediscovered in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.[3]

Equatorial spitting cobras can still be found in desolated urban areas of Singapore. The larger king cobra is much rarer. The banded krait sometimes show up as road kill. There are also 2 species of oral snake and 9 species of sea snake.

List of reptiles

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Order Crocodylia (crocodilians)

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Saltwater crocodile
Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Family Crocodylidae (crocodiles)

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Family Gavialidae (gharials)

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Order Squamata (lizards and snakes)

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Family Eublepharidae (eyelid geckos)

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Family Gekkonidae (geckos)

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Family Agamidae (agamids)

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Family Dactyloidae (anoles)

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  • Brown anole (Norops sagrei) - introduced, breeding population in Gardens by the Bay and Jurong Lake Gardens, individuals spotted in Bishan, Tanah Merah, Punggol, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Family Iguanidae (iguanas)

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  • Green iguana (Iguana iguana) - introduced, breeding populations in Jurong Hill, Jurong Bird Park, Sungei Tengah, Choa Chu Kang, escapees occasionally seen elsewhere

Family Scincidae (skinks)

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A skink (most likely the many-lined sun skink) alongside the Berlayer Creek Boardwalk in southern Singapore, near Labrador Nature Reserve.

Family Varanidae (monitor lizards)

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A clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus) in Singapore Botanic Gardens hunting for worms and other edibles under leaves. It can be distinguished from the Malayan water monitor — the other common monitor in Singapore — by its slit nostrils midway up the snout vs round nostrils on the tip.

Family Typhlopidae (blind snakes)

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Family Cylindrophiidae (Asian pipe snakes)

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Family Xenopeltidae (sunbeam snakes)

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Family Pythonidae (pythons)

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Family Acrochordidae (file snakes)

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File snake
File snake (Acrochordus granulatus), a marine file snake

Family Colubridae (colubrids)

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Subfamily Sibynophiinae
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  • Black-headed collared snake (Sibynophis melanocephalus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Kranji, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
Subfamily Natricinae
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Subfamily Calamariinae
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Subfamily Ahaetullinae
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Subfamily Colubrinae
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Family Homalopsidae (mud snakes)

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Family Lamprophiidae (mock vipers)

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Family Elapidae (cobras, coral snakes, kraits, sea snakes)

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Blue Malayan coral snake
Blue Malayan coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus) at Venus Drive
This king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) was about 2.3 meters long and was hunting in the mangrove forests of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve around 2pm. It momentarily raised its head and stood motionless for about a minute.

Family Pareidae (slug-eating snakes)

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Family Viperidae (vipers)

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Order Testudines (turtles, tortoises, terrapins)

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Family Cheloniidae (sea turtles)

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  • Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) - vagrant, confiscated individuals released at Sentosa
  • Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) - Singapore Strait
  • Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) - Singapore Strait, recorded nesting on East Coast and Southern Islands
  • Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) - confiscated individuals released at Sentosa, carcass found at East Coast

Family Dermochelyidae (leatherback turtle)

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Family Chelydridae (snapping turtles)

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Family Kinosternidae (mud turtles)

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Family Trionychidae (softshell turtles)

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Family Carettochelyidae (pig-nosed turtle)

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Family Geoemydidae (Asian terrapins)

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  • Southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis) - likely former native but since extirpated, recent local records likely to be escapees
  • Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) - indeterminate, recent local records likely to be escapees
  • Malayan box terrapin (Cuora amboinensis) - local populations likely to be a mixture of native and introduced individuals
  • Asian leaf terrapin (Cyclemys dentata) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment
  • Giant Asian pond terrapin (Heosemys grandis) - introduced
  • Spiny terrapin (Heosemys spinosa) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
  • Chinese stripe-necked turtle (Mauremys sinensis) - escapee
  • Malayan flat-shelled terrapin (Notochelys platynota) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment
  • Malayan giant terrapin (Orlitia borneensis) - indeterminate, recent local records likely to be escapees
  • Black marsh terrapin (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) - likely introduced

Family Testudinidae (tortoises)

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Family Emydidae (American terrapins)

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Family Podocnemididae (side-necked turtles)

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Family Chelidae (side-necked turtles)

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "List of reptile species present in Singapore". National Parks Board.
  2. ^ "The ultimate guide to lizards in Singapore". Killem Pest. 28 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b D. L. Yong; S. D. Fam; J. J. Ng (29 July 2008). "Rediscovery of Dumeril's Monitor Varanus Dumerilii (Varanidae) in Singapore". Nature in Singapore. 2008 (1). National University of Singapore: 21–22.
  4. ^ "Baby crocodile caught in canal at Pasir Ris estate". The Straits Times. 15 May 1991. p. 6. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  5. ^ Choo, Siew Bee (6 July 1991). "Croc found in Pasir Ris canal is no man-eater". The Straits Times. p. 3.
  6. ^ Thomas, Noel; Li, Tianjiao; Lim, Weihao; Cai, Yixiong (28 November 2014). "New record of the blackwater mud snake in Singapore" (PDF). Singapore Biodiversity Records. 2014: 309–310.
  7. ^ Tan, Audrey (23 December 2014). "Researchers find two snake species new to Singapore". The Straits Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  8. ^ Subaraj, Serin; Law, Ing Sind; Groenewoud, David; Law, Ingg Thong (31 January 2019). "Blackwater mud snake at Upper Seletar" (PDF). Singapore Biodiversity Records. 2019: 2–3.
  9. ^ Law, Ing Sind; Neo, Xiaoyun; Chan, Dennis Nathaniel; Shivaram, Rasu (30 September 2020). "Rediscovery of the Selangor mud snake, Raclitia indica, in Singapore" (PDF). Singapore Biodiversity Records. 2020: 165–167.
  10. ^ Ang, Qing (30 September 2020). "Rare Selangor mud snake rediscovered in Singapore after 106 years". The Straits Times. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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