Chinese version
Home
 
 
 
 
HERP INFORMATION BACK TO INDEX
 

Reptiles and Amphibians of Hong Kong

The total land area of Hong Kong is about 1,101 sq km which contains about 81 species of reptiles and 23 species of amphibians. Moreover, there have been new recordings of endemic species lately, and even some discoveries are new to science. Hong Kong has its native tree species more than the U.S. and Europe; coral species more than Caribbean Sea; total species more than U.K. All these evidences above can indicate the richness of native species diversity in Hong Kong even though it is a highly-urbanized metropolis. Hong Kong is exceptionally rich in natural resources but a fragile ecology which must be treasured and protected by all of us.

 
Checklists: Turtles / Lizards / Snakes / Newts / Frogs & Toads    
HK Chelonians Checklist
Family Scientific Name Common Name Remarks
Emydidae Cuora (=Cistoclemmys) flavomarginata Yellow-margined Box Turtle uc / pa / c2
Cuora trifasciata Chinese Three-Striped Box Turtle pa / c2
Chinemys reevesi Reeve's Turtle pa
Mauremys mutica Yellow Pond Turtle uc / pa / c2
Ocadia sinensis Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle uc / pa
Sacalia bealei Beale's Four-Eyed Turtle pa
Trachemys scripta elegans Red-eared Slider in
Platysternidae Platysternon megacephalum Big-Headed Turtle pa / c2
Trionchidae Palea steindachneri Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle uc / pa / c2
Pelodiscus sinensis Chinese Softshell Turtle pa
Cheloniidae Caretta caretta Loggerhead sea turtle pa / c1
Chelonia mydas Green Sea Turtle pa / c1
Eretmochelys imbricata Hawksbill sea turtle pa / c1
Lepidochelys olivacea Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle pa / c1
Dermochelyidae Dermochelys coriacea Leatherback Sea Turtle pa / c1
HK Lizards Checklist
Family Scientific Name Common Name Remarks
Agamidae Calotes versicolor Crested Tree Lizard  
Varanidae Varanus salvator Water monitor pa / c2
Scincidae Ateuchosaurus chinensis Smooth Skink  
Eumeces chinensis chinensis Chinese Skink  
Eumeces elegans Five-striped Blue-tailed Skink  
Eumeces quadrilineatus Blue-tailed Skink  
Mabuya longicaudata Long-tailed Skink  
Scincella modesta Slender Forest Skink  
Scincella reevesii Reeve's Smooth skink  
Sphenomorphus indicus Brown Forest Skink  
Sphenomorphus incognitus South China forest skink  
Tropidophorus sinicus Chinese Waterside Skink  
Lacertidae Takydromus sexlineatus ocellatus Striped Grass Lizard  
Dibamidae Dibamus bogadeki Bogadek's Burrowing Lizard en
Gekkonidae Cosymbotus platyurus Flat-tailed House Gecko uc
Gehyra mutilata Stump-toed Gecko  
Gekko chinensis Chinese gecko, Forest Gecko  
Gekko gecko Tokay gecko  
Hemidactylus bowringii Browring's Gecko  
Hemidactylus brookii Brooke's Gecko in
Hemidactylus frenatus
Common House Gecko uc
Hemidactylus garnoti Garnot's Gecko  
Hemiphyllodactylus sp. Tree Gecko  
HK Snakes Checklist
Family Scientific Name Common Name Remarks
Viperidae Trimeresurus (=Cryptelytrops) albolabris Bamboo Pit Viper v2
Trimeresurus (=Protobothrops) mucrosquamatus Taiwan habu snake v2
Trimeresurus (=Ovophis) monticola makazayazaya Mountain Pit Viper v2
Elapidae Bungarus fasciatus Banded Krait v3
Bungarus multicinctus Many-banded Krait v3
Calliophis macclellandi Coral Snake v3
Naja atra Chinese Cobra v3 / c2
Ophiophagus hannah King Cobra; Hamadryad v3 / c2
Hydrophiidae Lapemis curtus Spine-bellied Sea Snake v3
Hydrophis cyanocinctus Banded Sea Snake v3
Hydrophis gracilis Slender Sea Snake v3
Hydrophis ornatus Ornate Sea Snake v3
Pelamis platurus Yellow-bellied Sea Snake v3
Praescutata viperina Viperine Sea Snake v3
Boidae Python molurus bivittatus Burmese Python v0 / pa / c2
Colubridae Achalinus rufescens Brown Burrowing Snake v0
Ahaetulla prasina Jade Vine Snake v1 / uc
Amphiesma atemporale Mountain Keelback v0
Amphiesma boulengeri White-browed Keelback v0
Amphiesma stolatum Buff-striped Keel-back v0
Boiga multimaculata Large-spotted Cat Snake v1
Calmaria septentrionalis Northern Reed Snake v0
Cyclophiops major Greater Green Snake v0
Dendrelaphis pictus pictus Painted Bronze Back v0
Elaphe porphyracea nigrofasciata Red Mountain Racer v0
Elaphe radiata Copperhead Racer v0
Enhydris bennetti Mangrove Water Snake v1
Enhydris chinensis Commoon Water Snake v1
Enhydris plumbea Plumbeous Water Snake v1
Lycodon aulicus Common Wolf Snake v0
Lycodon ruhstrati ruhstrati Mountain Wolf Snake v0
Lycodon subcinctus Banded Wolf Snake v0
Oligodon cinereus cinereus Golden Kukri Snake v0
Oligodon formosanus Taiwan Kukri Snake v0
Opisthotropis andersonii Anderson's Stream Snake v0 / ex
Opisthotropis balteata Banded Stream Snake v0
Opisthotropis kuatunensis Striped Stream Snake v0
Opisthotropis lateralis Bicoloured Stream Snake v0
Pareas chinensis Chinese Slug Snake v0
Pareas margaritophorus White-spotted Slug Snake v0
Psammodynastes pulverulentus Mock Viper v1
Ptyas korros Indo-chinese rat snake v0
Ptyas mucosus Common Rat Snake v0
Rhabdophis chrysargos Speckle-bellied Keelback v0 / uc
Rhabdophis nuchalis nuchalis Grooved-neck Keelback v0
Rhabdophis subminiatus helleri Red-necked Keel-back v2
Sibynophis chinensis chinensis Chinese Mountain Snake v0
Sinonatrix (=Natrix) aequifasciata Diamond-backed Water Snake v0
Sinonatrix (=Natrix) percarinata percarinata Mountain Water Snake v0
Xenochrophis piscator Checkered Keel-back v0
Cylindrophiidae Cylindrophis ruffus Red-tailed Pipe Snake v0 / uc
Typhlopidae Ramphotyphlops albiceps White-headed Blind Snake v0
Ramphotyphlops braminus Common Blind Snake; Iron-wire Snakes v0
Typhlops lazelli Lazell's Blind Snake v0 / en
HK Tailed Amphibians Checklist (Salamanders & Newts)
Family Scientific Name Common Name Remarks
Salamandridae Paramesotriton hongkongensis Hong Kong (Warty) Newt ex / pa
HK Tailless Amphibians Checklist (Frogs & Toads)
Family Scientific Name Common Name Remarks
Bufonidae Bufo melanostictus Black-spined Toad; Asian Common Toad  
Megophryidae Leptolalax pelodytoides pelodytoides Leaf-litter Toad  
Megophrys brachykolos Short-legged Toad en
Microhylidae Kalophrynus interlineatus Spotted Narrow-mouthed Frog  
Kaloula pulchra pulchra Asiatic Painted Frog; Chubby Frog  
Microhyla butleri Pygmy Frog  
Microphla ornata Ornate Narrow-mouthed Frog  
Microhyla pulchra Beautiful Narrow-mouthed Frog  
Rhacophoridae Philautus romeri Romer's Tree Frog en / pa
Polypedates megacephalus Brown Tree Frog  
Ranidae Amolops hongkongensis Hong Kong Cascade Frog ex / pa
Amolops ricketii Chinese Sucker Frog  
Occidozyga Lima Rice Paddy Frog  
Rana exilispinosa Lesser Spiny Frog  
Rana guentheri Red and Black Frog  
Rana kuhlii Big-headed Frog  
Rana latouchii Brown Wood Frog  
Rana limnocharis Paddy Frog  
Rana livida Green Cascade Frog  
Rana macrodactyla Marbled Slender Frog  
Rana nigromaculata Black-spotted Frog uc
Rana paraspinosa Common Spiny-chested Frog  
Rana spinosa Giant Spiny-chested Frog  
Rana taipehensis Two-striped Grass Frog  
Rana (tigrina) rugulosa Chinese Bullfrog; Edible Frog  
Rhacophorus leucomystax Brown Tree Frog  

 

Remarks        
v0 : non-venomous   uc : uncertain status   c1 : CITES I
v1 : mildly-venomous   in : introduced species   c2 : CITES II
v2 : venomous   en : endemic   pa : Protected wild animal
v3 : highly-venomous   ex : once believed endemic    

 

 

 

 
 
 
|| Home || About || Contact || Privacy Statement || Chinese Site ||
  © 1997-2008 Hong Kong Reptile & Amphibian Society.     All rights reserved.
 
Top of the page