List of reptiles of Minnesota

An illustration of a side of a turtle on a white background. The turtle has small, yellow spots on its shell; the bottom side of the shell is pictured bottom

Blanding's turtle (scientific name Emys blandingii or Emydoidea blandingii) was the proposed state reptile of Minnesota.

Thirty species of reptiles have been recorded in the US state of Minnesota, including 16 species of snakes, eleven species of turtle, and three species of lizard. 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.

Snakes

Common name	Scientific name	Conservation status	Description	Photograph
Eastern yellowbelly racer	Coluber constrictor flaviventris	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from olive to blue to nearly black	File:Coluber constrictor flaviventris (1).jpg
Ringneck snake	Diadophis punctatus	Least concern	Template:HsNonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; has a distinct yellow ring around the neck; color varies from slate gray to olive	File:Diadophis punctatus edwardsii4.jpg
Western rat snake	Pantherophis obsoletus	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; adults appear shiny black; underbellies are white with black mottles	File:Pantherophis obsoletusPCCA20050508-7264B.jpg
Western fox snake	Pantherophis ramspotti	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from tan to greenish brown with large black blotches	File:Pantherophis vulpina.jpg
Western hognose snake	Heterodon nasicus	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from light yellow or olive color with systematic brown blotches	File:Heterodon nasicus.jpg
Eastern hognose snake	Heterodon platyrhinos	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from gray to brown with dark brown markings	File:Heterodon platirhinos2.jpg
Eastern milk snake	Lamptopeltis triangulum triangulum	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; repeating red, black-outlined blotches	File:Autumn milksnake.jpg
Smooth green snake	Opheodrys vernalis (sometimes Liochlorophis vernalis)	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from a uniform bright green to brownish green	File:Smooth Green Snake.jpg
Northern water snake	Nerodia sipedon	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from gray to reddish brown with dark brown crossbands	File:Northern watersnake j.jpg
Bullsnake	Pituophis catenifer sayi	Not evaluated	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from tan to brown with large brown or black spots	File:Pituophis catenifer sayi 007.jpg
DeKay's brown snake	Storeria dekayi	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from brown to reddish brown; two rows of dark spots across the back	File:Storeria dekayi texana.jpg
Northern redbelly snake	Storeria occipitomaculata	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from gray-brown to reddish-brown	File:Redbelly Snake - Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata.jpg
Plains garter snake	Thamnophis radix	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; similar to other garter snakes but with a yellow stripe down the side	File:Plains gartersnake.jpg
Eastern garter snake	Thamnophis sirtalis	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from black to olive; usually has three yellowish stripes, one down the back and one along each side	File:Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis Wooster.jpg
Lined snake	Tropidoclonion lineatum	Least concern	Nonvenomous; adults reach Template:Convert; colors range from gray to black with a lighter color stripe down the middle of the back	File:Tropidoclonion lineatum texanum.jpg
Timber rattlesnake	Crotalus horridus	Least concern	Venomous; adults reach Template:Convert; color varies from yellow to tan with dark markings on the back	File:C horridus.JPG

Turtles

Common name	Scientific name	Conservation status	Description	Photograph
Blanding's turtle	Emydoidea blandingii	Endangered	Length of Template:Convert; yellow, long, narrow throat; domed carapace	File:Blandings-road-800x600.jpg
Common snapping turtle	Chelydra serpentina	Least concern	Length of Template:Convert; weight of Template:Convert; shell color varies from tan to black	File:Common Snapping Turtle.jpg
Common musk turtle	Sternotherus odoratus	Least concern introduced		File:Stinkpot Turtle.jpg
Smooth softshell turtle	Apalone mutica	Least concern		File:Iowaherps-apalone mutica.jpg
Red-eared slider	Trachemys scripta elegans	Least concern Introduced		File:RedEaredSlider05.jpg
False map turtle	Graptemys pseudogeographica	Least concern	Length of Template:Convert; upper shell has yellow connected circles or lines; lower shell is greenish-yellow	File:Turtle vdg.jpg
Northern map turtle	Graptemys geographica	Least concern	Length of Template:Convert; fine yellow lines on a brown to olive shell	File:Northern Map Turtle.jpg
Ouachita map turtle	Graptemys ouachitensis	Least concern	Length of Template:Convert; ridge down the center of the shell; bright yellow lines on the head and limbs	File:Graptemys ouachitensis hatchling.jpg
Painted turtle	Chrysemys picta bellii	Least concern	Length of Template:Convert; carapace color varies from tan to olive, with markings on the neck	File:Painted turtle.jpg
Spiny softshell turtle	Apalone spinifera spinifera	Not evaluated	Female length of Template:Convert; male length of Template:Convert; olive to brown, flexible, smooth shell	File:Apalone spinifera.jpg
Wood turtle	Glyptemys insculpta (formerly Clemmys insculpta)	Endangered	Length of Template:Convert; rough, tan to gray carapace	File:Waldbachschildkroete-01.jpg

Lizards

Common name	Scientific name	Status	Description[a]	Photograph
Five-lined skink	Plestiodon fasciatus	Least concern	Total length of Template:Convert; maximum body length of Template:Convert; brown to black body with short legs; juveniles have a blueish tail that turns to grey with maturation	File:Eumecesfasciatus.jpg
Prairie skink	Plestiodon septentrionalis	Least concern	Maximum body length of Template:Convert; juveniles are blue, adults are tan with black stripes	File:Prairie skink.jpg
Six-lined racerunner	Aspidoscelis sexlineatus	Least concern	Total length of Template:Convert; maximum body length of Template:Convert; light yellow to white stripes alternating with black stripes down back	File:Aspidoscelis sexlineata (male).jpg

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

Specific