This list includes 22 Reptiles that start with Y, from “Yacare Caiman” to “Yucatán Spiny-tailed Iguana”. They span crocodilians, iguanas, geckos and snakes, and occupy tropical, subtropical, and freshwater habitats worldwide. Use this list for identification, field reference, basic care notes, and general study.
Reptiles that start with Y are a small but varied group, mainly found in the Americas and nearby islands. A notable example is the Yacare Caiman, a familiar wetland predator with cultural importance in parts of South America.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, and Average size (cm).
Common name: The everyday name you’ll recognise, useful for quick identification and for linking to field guides.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial provides precise species identity and helps you find authoritative information.
Habitat: A concise description of where the species lives so you know its typical environment and range.
Average size (cm): Mean adult size in centimetres with measurement type noted, helping you gauge species scale.
Reptiles that start with Y
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat | Average adult size (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yacare Caiman | Caiman yacare | Freshwater wetlands | 250 cm (TL) |
| Yemen Chameleon | Chamaeleo calyptratus | Montane forests | 45 cm (TL) |
| Yellow Anaconda | Eunectes notaeus | Swamps, rivers | 350 cm (TL) |
| Yellow-bellied Sea Snake | Hydrophis platurus | Open ocean | 70 cm (TL) |
| Yellow-bellied Slider | Trachemys scripta scripta | Ponds, lakes, slow rivers | 21 cm (CL) |
| Yellowbelly Racer | Coluber constrictor flaviventris | Grasslands, prairies | 100 cm (TL) |
| Yellowbelly Water Snake | Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster | Ponds, swamps, streams | 100 cm (TL) |
| Yellow-blotched Map Turtle | Graptemys flavimaculata | Sand bottomed rivers | 18 cm (CL) |
| Yellow-footed Tortoise | Chelonoidis denticulatus | Humid tropical forests | 40 cm (CL) |
| Yellow-headed Collared Lizard | Crotaphytus collaris auriceps | Arid rocky regions | 12 cm (SVL) |
| Yellow-headed Gecko | Gonatodes albogularis | Forests, human dwellings | 4 cm (SVL) |
| Yellow-lipped Sea Krait | Laticauda colubrina | Coastal reefs, mangrove shores | 90 cm (TL) |
| Yellow Monitor | Varanus flavescens | Wetlands, river plains | 45 cm (SVL) |
| Yellow-spotted Keelback | Xenochrophis flavipunctatus | Freshwater wetlands, rice paddies | 70 cm (TL) |
| Yellow-spotted Night Lizard | Lepidophyma flavimaculatum | Tropical rainforest floors | 6.5 cm (SVL) |
| Yellow-spotted River Turtle | Podocnemis unifilis | Rivers, lakes, freshwater | 45 cm (CL) |
| Yellow-tailed Cribo | Drymarchon corais corais | Tropical forests, savannas | 200 cm (TL) |
| Yellow-throated Plated Lizard | Gerrhosaurus flavigularis | Savanna, grassland | 20 cm (SVL) |
| Yellownape Chameleon | Chamaeleo necasi | Montane grassland | 25 cm (TL) |
| Yucatán Banded Gecko | Coleonyx elegans | Tropical forests | 8 cm (SVL) |
| Yucatán Box Turtle | Terrapene yucatana | Tropical scrub forests | 15 cm (CL) |
| Yucatán Spiny-tailed Iguana | Ctenosaura defensor | Arid scrubland | 13 cm (SVL) |
Descriptions
Yacare Caiman
A crocodilian from central South America, often called the piranha caiman due to its prominent, interlocking teeth. Its populations have recovered significantly due to conservation efforts and sustainable ranching programs.
Yemen Chameleon
Native to the Arabian Peninsula, this popular pet is famous for the large bony casque, or helmet, on its head. The casque helps channel water droplets to its mouth.
Yellow Anaconda
A large, semi-aquatic constrictor from southern South America. It is smaller but more brightly colored than its relative, the Green Anaconda, with a yellow-green base color and black blotches.
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake
The most widely distributed snake in the world, found in tropical oceanic waters. It is fully aquatic, highly venomous, and has a distinct bicolored pattern with a bright yellow underside.
Yellow-bellied Slider
A freshwater turtle native to the southeastern United States. It’s recognized by the broad yellow patch behind its eye and a yellow plastron (lower shell), often marked with dark smudges.
Yellowbelly Racer
A swift, non-venomous snake found in the central United States. As its name suggests, it has a plain grey or greenish back and a bright yellow underside. It is an active daytime hunter.
Yellowbelly Water Snake
A non-venomous water snake of the southeastern US. It has a largely unmarked, dark back and a plain yellow belly. When threatened, it will flatten its head and bite defensively.
Yellow-blotched Map Turtle
A rare river turtle endemic to the Pascagoula River system in Mississippi. Named for the bright yellow or orange blotches on its carapace, it is a federally protected threatened species due to habitat degradation.
Yellow-footed Tortoise
A large tortoise species from the Amazon Basin. It is closely related to the Red-footed Tortoise and is known for the yellowish-orange scales on its front legs. Its diet consists mainly of fallen fruit.
Yellow-headed Collared Lizard
A subspecies of the common collared lizard from the western United States. Males display a bright yellow head and turquoise body. It is known for its incredible speed and ability to run on its hind legs.
Yellow-headed Gecko
A small, diurnal gecko from Central and South America. Males are brightly colored with a striking yellow or orange head and a dark blue or black body, making them easily recognizable.
Yellow-lipped Sea Krait
A highly venomous but docile sea snake found in the Indo-Pacific. It is amphibious, spending time in water to hunt fish and eels, and on land to rest, digest, and lay eggs.
Yellow Monitor
A medium-sized monitor lizard found across the northern Indian subcontinent. This species is well-adapted for a semi-aquatic life, with nostrils positioned high on its snout. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Yellow-spotted Keelback
A common, non-venomous water snake found throughout Southeast Asia. It is often seen in agricultural areas like rice fields, where it hunts for frogs and fish. Its temperament can be aggressive when handled.
Yellow-spotted Night Lizard
A secretive lizard from Central America that lives in rotting logs. This species is parthenogenic, meaning populations are composed entirely of females that reproduce without males, giving birth to live young.
Yellow-spotted River Turtle
A large freshwater turtle from the Amazon and Orinoco basins. It is named for the bright yellow spots on its head, which are most vibrant in juveniles and fade with age.
Yellow-tailed Cribo
A large, non-venomous snake from South America. It is a powerful predator known for its impressive size and immunity to the venom of some pit vipers, which it often preys upon.
Yellow-throated Plated Lizard
A fast-moving lizard found in eastern and southern Africa. It is named for the bright yellow throat of breeding males. This lizard often lives in self-dug burrows or abandoned termite mounds.
Yellownape Chameleon
A species of chameleon native to highlands in Togo and Ghana. It is named for the distinct yellow patch on the nape of its neck, a key identifying feature for this rarely seen species.
Yucatán Banded Gecko
A terrestrial gecko found from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. It has movable eyelids, unlike many geckos, and features a distinctive pattern of dark crossbands on a lighter background, providing excellent camouflage.
Yucatán Box Turtle
A rare box turtle found only on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Like other box turtles, its hinged shell allows it to completely close up for protection from predators. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Yucatán Spiny-tailed Iguana
A small, colorful iguana endemic to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. This endangered species is known for its stout body and a distinctively spiny tail, which it uses for defense by wedging itself into crevices.