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.
