Ladder Snake

The Ladder Snake (Rhinechis scalaris or Zamenis scalaris) is a medium-sized reptile and a colubrid (non-venomous) snake. It is related to the Ratsnake.

The Ladder Snake has yellowish to dark brown scales with two dark brown stripes running down the length of its body from neck to tail. It has a dark stripe at the back of its eye, angling down to its jaw. Its underbelly is pale, such as slivery-grey to whitish. It has a pointed snout (nose). It has dark eyes.

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Radiated Tortoise

The Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) is a reptile in the Testudinidae family of tortoises. 

The Radiated Tortoise has a high-domed shell, called a carapace. Its shell is brown with yellow radiating lines from the centre of each plate. Each pattern looks like a star or sea shell. It has a blunt head and thick, stumpy feet. Its legs, feet, and head are yellow, except for a patch of black on its head.

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Asp Viper

The Asp Viper (Vipera aspis aspis) is a venomous snake in the viper family. It is also known as the European Asp. 

The Asp Viper has a long, slim body with a broad, triangular head, and a distinctive neck. It has an upturned snout (nose). Generally, the male is grey with markings, and the female is grey or brown with markings. The markings are dark-brown to blackish bands with a brown line running down its spine. It has a postocular (below the eye) stripe, more visible on the male.

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Eastern Hermann’s Tortoise

The Eastern Hermann’s Tortoise (Testudo hermanni peloponnesica) is a small to medium-sized land chelonian reptile. It is related to the Greek Tortoise (Testudo graeca). 

The Eastern Hermann’s Tortoise has a slightly domed, rounded shell, called a carapace. The carapace is black and yellow with markings, but the colour fades with age, and becomes grey or straw-coloured. Its underbelly is creamy-beige. It has no teeth, but it has a strong, short beak. It has scaly brownish-grey, stumpy legs with five claws. Its back legs are thicker than its front legs. The tip of its tail has a spur (a horny, short spike). 

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Rhinoceros Ratsnake

The Rhinoceros Ratsnake (Gonyosoma boulengeri) is a non-venomous colubrid reptile in the Colubridae family. It is also known as the Vietnamese Longnose Snake.

The Rhinoceros Ratsnake is green with a prominent, distinctive protrusion of the front of its nose. The pointy protrusion—which looks like a rhinoceros horn—has scales like the rest of its body. It has 19 rows of dorsal (back) scales to its mid-body.

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What’s the difference between the Emerald Tree Boa and the Green Tree Python?

What is the difference between the Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus caninus) and the Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis)?

The Emerald Tree Boa and the Green Tree Python are both non-venomous arboreal (tree) reptiles and snakes.

The Emerald Tree Boa and the Green Tree Python are bright green with yellowish underbellies. 

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Knight Anole Lizard

The Knight Anole Lizard (Anolis equestris) is a reptile in the Dactyloidae family of lizards. It is also known as the Cuban Giant Anole.

The Knight Anole Lizard is bright green with a yellow stripe on the side of its head and shoulder. It can change colour according to its environment. It has a pinkish-white dewlap (loose skin under its chin). It has a very long tail. It has many sharp teeth. Its feet have five toes with long, sharp claws. 

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Tree Skink

The Tree Skink (Egernia striolata) is a reptile in the Scincidae family of skink lizards. It is also known as the Tree-Crevice Skink.  

The Tree Skink has a bulky, flattened, elongated body with a small head and small eyes. It has smooth scales on its brownish-grey body. It has a creamy-white underbelly. Its eyes are the same colour as its scales. Its tongue is dark-coloured. It very short legs have five toes on each foot.

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Matamata Turtle

The Matamata Turtle (Chelus fimbriata) is a large, freshwater reptile. 

The Matamata Turtle has a brown or black upper shell, called a carapace, that looks like the bark of a tree. Its lower shell, called the plastron, is creamy-yellow or brown, narrow, and without a hinge. 

It has a large, triangular-shaped, flattened grey-brown head, with spiky, ridged scales called tubercles. It has flaps of loose skin. It has a horn-like structure on its head and a long, tubular snout (nose). There are three barbels (similar to thick whiskers) on its chin and another four barbels at its upper jaw. Its neck, tail, and legs are grey-brown. Its feet have five webbed claws to enable it to walk on land, dig and swim. 

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New Caledonian Giant Gecko

The New Caledonian Giant Gecko (Rhacodactylus leachianus) is a reptile in the Diplodactylidae family of gecko lizards. It is also known as Leach’s Giant Gecko.

The New Caledonian Giant Gecko has a thick body with loose skin and a small, stumpy tail. It can vary in colour, from green or grey to light or tan brown. It has bulging eyes. Its feet have pads which enable it to climb.

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Snapping Turtle

The Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentine) is a freshwater, aquatic reptile. It is also known as the Snapper or the Common Snapping Turtle. 

The Snapping Turtle has powerful beak-like jaws. It has a slightly domed, serrated-edged (saw-toothed) upper shell, called a carapace. The lower shell, called the plastron, is narrower than the upper shell. It has a long tail – as long as the upper shell – and a long, snake-like neck. It is mostly greyish-brown. It has stumpy legs with claws, and webbing between the claws, which enable it to walk on land and swim in water. It does not have flippers like the sea turtle. 

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