Here you’ll find 32 Reptiles that start with T that begin with T, organized from “Tabasco Mud Turtle” to “Twist-necked Turtle”. These species include freshwater and marine turtles, terrestrial lizards, and several snake species, useful for identification, education, and pet care.
Reptiles that start with T are species across turtles, snakes, lizards and tuatara found worldwide. Notable example: the tuatara, a living fossil from New Zealand, shows how ancient reptile lineages persist.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Average adult size (cm) and Measurement type.
Common name: The widely used English name helps you quickly identify species and match field or pet labels to entries.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives you precise species identity and helps you find further scientific information.
Habitat: Short habitat notes tell you where each species lives and help you narrow searches by environment.
Average adult size (cm): Typical size in centimeters gives you a quick reference for adult growth expectations.
Measurement type: Notes whether size is total length, snout–vent length, or carapace length, so you compare values correctly.
Reptiles that start with T
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat | Average adult size (cm) & measurement type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabasco Mud Turtle | Kinosternon acutum | Swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams in Central America | 10–12 cm (CL) |
| Taipan | Oxyuranus scutellatus | Coastal heathlands, open forests, and grasslands in Australia and New Guinea | 200 cm (TL) |
| Taiwan Tree Dragon | Diploderma swinhonis | Forests, shrublands, and agricultural areas in Taiwan | 25–30 cm (TL) |
| Tegu | Salvator merianae | South American savannas, forests, and disturbed areas; invasive in Florida | 90–120 cm (TL) |
| Tentacled Snake | Erpeton tentaculatum | Slow-moving freshwater streams, rice paddies, and canals in Southeast Asia | 50–90 cm (TL) |
| Texas Alligator Lizard | Gerrhonotus liocephalus | Rocky hillsides, canyons, and wooded areas in Texas and northern Mexico | 25–45 cm (TL) |
| Texas Coral Snake | Micrurus tener | Woodlands, canyons, and coastal plains in southern US and northeastern Mexico | 50–60 cm (TL) |
| Texas Horned Lizard | Phrynosoma cornutum | Arid to semi-arid sandy habitats in North America | 7–10 cm (SVL) |
| Texas Map Turtle | Graptemys versa | Rivers and streams of the Edwards Plateau in central Texas | 12–21 cm (CL) |
| Texas Spiny Lizard | Sceloporus olivaceus | Trees, fences, and telephone poles in Texas and adjacent regions | 19–28 cm (TL) |
| Texas Spotted Whiptail | Aspidoscelis gularis | Grasslands, prairies, and open woodlands in the southern US and Mexico | 16–28 cm (TL) |
| Texas Tortoise | Gopherus berlandieri | Thorn scrub and grasslands in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico | 15–22 cm (CL) |
| Thorny Devil | Moloch horridus | Australian deserts and arid scrubland | 15–20 cm (TL) |
| Three-striped Roofed Turtle | Batagur dhongoka | Large rivers with sandy bottoms in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal | 48 cm (CL) |
| Tiger Keelback | Rhabdophis tigrinus | Wetlands, forests, and fields in East and Southeast Asia | 60–100 cm (TL) |
| Tiger Snake | Notechis scutatus | Wetlands, grasslands, and coastal areas of southern Australia | 120 cm (TL) |
| Timber Rattlesnake | Crotalus horridus | Deciduous forests and rugged terrain in the eastern United States | 90–150 cm (TL) |
| Timor Tree Monitor | Varanus timorensis | Forests and scrublands of Timor and surrounding islands | 50–60 cm (TL) |
| Tokay Gecko | Gekko gecko | Tropical rainforests in Asia and on many Pacific islands | 30–35 cm (TL) |
| Tomistoma | Tomistoma schlegelii | Freshwater swamps, rivers, and lakes in Southeast Asia | 300–400 cm (TL) |
| Trans-Pecos Ratsnake | Bogertophis subocularis | Arid deserts and rocky canyons in the Chihuahuan Desert | 90–120 cm (TL) |
| Travancore Tortoise | Indotestudo travancorica | Moist evergreen and deciduous forests of India’s Western Ghats | 30–33 cm (CL) |
| Tricarinate Hill Turtle | Melanochelys tricarinata | Terrestrial habitats like forests and grasslands in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh | 16–17 cm (CL) |
| Trinket Snake | Coelognathus helena | A variety of habitats, from forests to farmlands, in South Asia | 90–120 cm (TL) |
| Tropical House Gecko | Hemidactylus mabouia | Thrives in human-modified habitats in Africa, now spread worldwide in the tropics | 10–13 cm (TL) |
| Tuatara | Sphenodon punctatus | Offshore islands of New Zealand | 60 cm (TL) |
| Turkish Gecko | Hemidactylus turcicus | Originally Mediterranean, now found in warm coastal areas worldwide | 10–13 cm (TL) |
| Turquoise Dwarf Gecko | Lygodactylus williamsi | Found only on a few square kilometers of Pandanus palm forest in Tanzania | 6–8 cm (TL) |
| Turtle-headed Sea Snake | Emydocephalus annulatus | Coral reefs in the western Pacific and eastern Indian Oceans | 80–100 cm (TL) |
| Twig Snake | Thelotornis kirtlandii | Savannas and forests across sub-Saharan Africa | 100–130 cm (TL) |
| Twin-spotted Rattlesnake | Crotalus pricei | Montane rocky habitats, often in pine-oak forests, in the southwestern US and Mexico | 50–60 cm (TL) |
| Twist-necked Turtle | Platemys platycephala | Slow-moving, shallow waters in the Amazon and Orinoco basins | 14–18 cm (CL) |
Descriptions
Tabasco Mud Turtle
A small aquatic turtle with a distinctive sharp, projecting snout. It spends most of its time in the water foraging for invertebrates.
Taipan
Famed for its potent neurotoxic venom, making it one of the world’s most dangerous snakes. They primarily prey on small mammals.
Taiwan Tree Dragon
An agile, arboreal lizard known for the male’s bright yellow throat fan, which he uses in territorial and courtship displays.
Tegu
A large, intelligent lizard known for its powerful build and omnivorous diet. They are popular in the pet trade but can be invasive.
Tentacled Snake
A unique fully aquatic snake with two fleshy tentacles on its snout. It uses these to sense vibrations and trick fish into swimming toward its mouth.
Texas Alligator Lizard
A large, secretive lizard with a prehensile tail and powerful jaws. It can be aggressive when handled and will not hesitate to bite.
Texas Coral Snake
A highly venomous elapid snake with distinctive red, yellow, and black bands. Its secretive nature means bites are very rare.
Texas Horned Lizard
Famous for its flat, wide body and prominent horns. It can squirt a stream of blood from its eyes to deter predators.
Texas Map Turtle
A small aquatic turtle named for the intricate, map-like yellow lines on its carapace and skin. Females are significantly larger than males.
Texas Spiny Lizard
A large, gray lizard with distinctive spiny scales. It is an excellent climber, often seen basking on vertical surfaces.
Texas Spotted Whiptail
A fast, slender lizard with light stripes and spots. It is a very active forager, constantly flicking its tongue to find insects.
Texas Tortoise
The smallest of the North American gopher tortoises. Its high-domed shell and stout, club-like front legs are adapted for digging burrows.
Thorny Devil
A bizarre-looking lizard covered in conical spines. It has a “false head” on its neck to confuse predators and drinks by absorbing dew on its skin.
Three-striped Roofed Turtle
A large, critically endangered river turtle. It is recognized by the three prominent black stripes on its carapace, especially in juveniles.
Tiger Keelback
A venomous snake that stores toxins from its prey (toads) in glands on its neck, which it can secrete for defense.
Tiger Snake
A highly venomous snake whose name comes from the distinct yellow and black bands on some individuals, though patterns vary widely.
Timber Rattlesnake
A large, heavy-bodied pit viper with a distinctive rattle. It’s an important predator in its forest ecosystem, though populations have declined.
Timor Tree Monitor
A small, agile monitor lizard perfectly adapted for an arboreal lifestyle. It is a popular species in the reptile hobby due to its manageable size.
Tokay Gecko
A large, nocturnal gecko known for its loud, distinctive “to-kay!” call. It has a powerful bite and is known for its feisty temperament.
Tomistoma
A unique crocodilian with a very long, slender snout, similar to a gharial. It is a shy, reclusive species threatened by habitat loss.
Trans-Pecos Ratsnake
A beautiful, slender snake known for its large eyes and distinctive “H” pattern on its neck. It is a nocturnal hunter of rodents and bats.
Travancore Tortoise
A medium-sized tortoise endemic to a small region of India. It is primarily active during the wet season and aestivates during drier periods.
Tricarinate Hill Turtle
Also called the Three-keeled Land Tortoise, it gets its name from the three prominent keels running along its carapace. It is a poorly known, rare species.
Trinket Snake
A non-venomous, slender snake often found near human settlements. When threatened, it inflates its neck and assumes an S-shaped defensive posture.
Tropical House Gecko
An incredibly successful invasive species. This nocturnal gecko is often seen on walls and ceilings, hunting insects attracted to lights.
Tuatara
Not a lizard, but the last survivor of an ancient order of reptiles. It’s known for its “third eye” on its head and very slow metabolism.
Turkish Gecko
Also called the Mediterranean House Gecko. A small, nocturnal gecko often found on buildings. Its skin is slightly translucent with dark spots.
Turquoise Dwarf Gecko
A critically endangered gecko with brilliant blue males and green or copper females. Its popularity in the pet trade has decimated wild populations.
Turtle-headed Sea Snake
A unique sea snake that feeds almost exclusively on fish eggs. It has a blunt head and lacks the large fangs of other venomous sea snakes.
Twig Snake
A master of camouflage, this slender snake perfectly mimics a vine or twig. It possesses a potent, slow-acting hemotoxic venom.
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
A small, secretive rattlesnake named for the paired dark blotches running down its back. Its small rattle produces a high-pitched, insect-like buzz.
Twist-necked Turtle
This turtle’s flat, broad shell allows it to hide in shallow leaf litter. It belongs to the side-necked turtle group, folding its long neck sideways for protection.