Amphibians and Reptiles in Massachusetts

Amphibians

Caudata: Necturidae (Mudpuppies and Waterdogs)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Mudpuppy	Necturus maculosus	Introduced to the Connecticut River drainage in Amherst prior to 1936. However, these are records from the Connecticut River in Connecticut as early as 1875. Also reported from a few lakes in southern Berkshire County. Occur naturally in Lake Champlain in Vermont and in the Hudson River, but were probably introduced to the western Massachusetts locales.

 

Caudata: Ambystomatidae (Mole Salamanders)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Jefferson Salamander*	Ambystoma jeffersonianum	Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and western Worcester counties. Listed as a Species of Special Concern.
Blue-spotted Salamander*	Ambystoma laterale	Bristol, Plymouth, Norfolk, Suffolk, Middlesex, and Essex counties; eastern and southern Worcester County; eastern Hampden and Hampshire counties; southern Berkshire County. Listed as a Species of Special Concern.
Spotted Salamander	Ambystoma maculatum	Statewide except Nantucket County.
Marbled Salamander*	Ambystoma opacum	Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Bristol counties; southern and eastern Worcester County. One population still known from each of Berkshire and Plymouth counties; possibly extirpated from Essex County. Listed as Threatened.

Polyploid species formerly described as Tremblay's Salamander (Ambystoma tremblayi) and Silvery Salamander (Ambystoma platineum) are now considered to be genetic variants of the Jefferson/Blue-spotted Salamander complex, containing 2-4 sets of chromosomes.

 

Salamandridae (Newts)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Eastern Newt	Notophthalmus viridescens	Statewide except for Nantucket and possibly Suffolk counties.

 

Plethodontidae (Lungless Salamanders)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Northern Dusky Salamander	Desmognathus fuscus	Statewide except Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties.
Eastern Red-backed Salamander	Plethodon cinereus	Statewide.
Four-toed Salamander	Hemidactylium scutatum	Statewide.
Spring Salamander	Gyrinophilus porphyriticus	Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties.
Northern Two-lined Salamander	Eurycea bislineata	Statewide except for Dukes and Nantucket counties.

 

Anura: Pelobatidae (Spadefoot)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Eastern Spadefoot	Scaphiopus holbrookii	Bristol, Barnstable, and Dukes counties. One population still known from each of Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Essex, Middlesex, and Plymouth counties. Likely extirpated from Suffolk and Norfolk counties. Uncertain status in Nantucket County. Listed as Threatened.

 

Bufonidae (True Toads)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
American Toad	Anaxyrus americanus	Statewide except Nantucket County.
Fowler's Toad	Anaxyrus fowleri	Statewide; possibly extirpated from Nantucket County.

 

Hylidae (True Tree Frogs)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Spring Peeper	Pseudacris crucifer	Statewide.
Gray Treefrog	Hyla versicolor	Statewide except for Martha's Vineyard island and Nantucket County.

 

Ranidae (True Frogs)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
American Bullfrog	Lithobates catesbeianus	Statewide; likely introduced to Dukes Nantucket counties.
Green Frog	Lithobates clamitans	Statewide.
Pickerel Frog	Lithobates palustris	Statewide.
Northern Leopard Frog	Lithobates pipiens	Statewide except Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Potentially declining in Bristol and Plymouth counties.
Wood Frog	Lithobates sylvaticus	Statewide except for Dukes and Nantucket counties.

 

Reptiles

Testudines: Chelydridae (Snapping Turtles)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Snapping Turtle	Chelydra serpentina	Statewide.

 

Kinosternidae (Mud and Musk Turtles)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Eastern Musk Turtle	Sternotherus odoratus	Statewide except Berkshire, Dukes, and Nantucket counties.

 

Emydidae (Pond Turtles)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Painted Turtle	Chrysemys picta	Statewide.
Spotted Turtle	Clemmys guttata	Statewide except northern Berkshire County.
Wood Turtle*	Gleptemys insculpta	Statewide north and west of northern Bristol and Plymouth counties. Not native to Barnstable Country. Listed as a Species of Special Concern.
Bog Turtle*	Gleptemys muhlenbergii	Berkshire County only. Listed as Endangered in Massachusetts and Threatened at the federal level.
Blanding's Turtle*	Emydoidea blandingii	Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester counties. Listed as Threatened.
Diamond-backed Terrapin*	Malaclemmys terrapin	Coastal areas of Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth counties. Rare reports from Essex County. Listed as Threatened.
Northern Red-bellied Cooter*	Pseudemys rubriventris	Plymouth and Bristol counties. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and at the federal level.
Eastern Box Turtle*	Terrapene carolina	Statewide except Berkshire County. Listed as a Species of Special Concern.

 

Testudines: Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Loggerhead Sea Turtle*	Caretta caretta	Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Listed as Threatened both in Massachusetts and at the federal level (Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment).
Green Sea Turtle*	Chelonia mydas	Uncommon. Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Listed as Threatened both in Massachusetts and federally (North Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment).
Hawksbill Sea Turtle*	Eretmochelys imbricata	Uncommon. Barnstable County. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and federally.
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle*	Lepidochelys kempii	Uncommon. Essex, Suffolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and federally.

 

Testudines: Dermochelyidae (Leatherback Sea Turtle)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Leatherback Sea Turtle*	Dermochelys coriacea	Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and federally.

 

Lacertilia: Scincidae (Skinks)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Common Five-lined Skink	Eumeces fasciatus	No extant populations known in Massachusetts, although the species is native to Vermont, New York, and Connecticut. Recorded from Worcester county before 1840 and Bristol County in 1869. Both historic records are atypical locations for this species.

 

Serpentes: Colubridae (Harmless Snakes)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Eastern Wormsnake*	Carphophis amoenus	Connecticut River Valley in Hampden County. Listed as Threatened.
North American Racer	Coluber constrictor	Statewide except Berkshire and Nantucket counties. Local subspecies known as Black Racer.
Ring-necked Snake	Diadophis punctatus	Statewide.
Eastern Ratsnake*	Pantherophis allegheniensis	Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. Local subspecies known as Black Rat Snake. Listed as Endangered.
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake	Heterodon platirhinos	Barnstable, Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Plymouth, Middlesex, and Worcester counties.
Milksnake	Lampropeltis triangulum	Statewide.
Northern Watersnake	Nerodia sipedon	Statewide except Dukes County.
Smooth Greensnake	Opheodrys vernalis	Statewide.
DeKay's Brownsnake	Storeria dekayi	Statewide except Martha's Vineyard island and Nantucket County.
Red-bellied Snake	Storeria occipitomaculata	Statewide except Nantucket County. Local subspecies known as Black Racer.
Eastern Ribbonsnake	Thamnophis sauritus	Statewide.
Common Gartersnake	Thamnophis sirtalis	Statewide.

 

Squamata: Viperidae (Vipers and Pit Vipers)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Distribution
Copperhead*	Agkistrodon contortrix	Hampden, Hampshire, and Norfolk counties. Listed as Endangered.
Timber Rattlesnake*	Crotalus horridus	Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Norfolk counties. Listed as Endangered.

*Species appearing on the current list of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern species in Massachusetts as authorized by M.G.L. c. 131A, §4.

 

Download the printable list of amphibians and reptiles of Massachusetts here.