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Species Identification A guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians found in the UK (Reptile and Amphibian Identification) In the United Kingdom we have 12 naturally occuring or native species, 6 amphibians and 6 reptiles. Evidence is mounting that a 13th species, the Pool Frog, was once a native of Norfolk. There are a number of introduced species, naturalised in the wider countryside. Some introduced species may pose a threat to native wildlife, these are listed separately. Use these pages to identify a lizard, snake, toad, frog or newt seen in the wild or to learn more about the herpetofauna of the British Isles. |
| Species native to the United
Kingdom Introduced or alien species Alien species that present a threat to wildlife |
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| Introduced or alien species Alien species that present a threat to wildlife Back to top of page |
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Native Amphibians
Native Reptiles
(Endangered Species)*
| Species native to the
United Kingdom Alien species that present a threat to wildlife Back to top of page |
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The following species are not indigenous to the UK but have now become established in some areas.
Alien Amphibians
| Newts (Urodeles) | Frogs and Toads (Anurans) |
| Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris) | Green or water
Frogs Marsh Frog (Rana ridibunda) Pool Frog (Rana lessonae) Edible Frog (Rana esculenta) Fire-bellied Toads (Bombina) species Midwife Toad (Alytes obstetricans) Clawed Toad (Xenopus laevis) European Tree Frog (Hyla arborea) |
Alien Reptiles
| Snakes (Serpentes) | Lizards (Sauria) |
| Aesculapian Snake ( Elaphe longissima ) | Wall Lizard ( Podarcis
muralis ) Green Lizard ( Lacerta viridis ) or ( L.bilineata ) |
| Species native to the
United Kingdom Introduced or alien species Back to top of page |
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The following species are not indigenous to the UK and are a serious threat to our native species.
Alien Amphibians that pose a threat
| Urodeles - Newts | Anurans - Frogs and Toads |
| Italian Crested Newt (Triturus carnifex) | American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) |
Alien Reptiles that pose a threat
| Chelonia - Terrapins |
| Red-eared Terrapin (Trachemys scripta) |
Reference:
| The British Amphibians and Reptiles | Malcolm Smith, The New Naturalist Series, Collins 1969 |
| Amphibians and Reptiles of Surrey | Julia Wychereley and Richard Anstis, The
Surrey Wildlife Atlas Project, Surrey Wildlife Trust, 2001 ISBN 0 9526065 6 9 |
| The Common Toad | Fred Slater, Shire Natural History,
1992 ISBN 0 7478 0161 4 |
| Reptiles and Amphibians in Britain | Deryk Frazer, Collins New Naturalist
Series, 1989 reprint ISBN 1 870630 04 1 |
| Newts of the British Isles | Patrick J Wisniewski, Shire Natural
History, 1989 ISBN0 7478 0029 4 |
| Amphibians and Reptiles A Natural History of the British Herpetofauna | Trevor J.C. Beebee & Richard A.
Griffiths, 2000 ISBN 000 220083 X (Hardback) ISBN 000 220084 8 (Paperback) |
| A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe | E. Nicholas Arnold, Second edition
2002 ISBN 0 00 219964 5 |
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Acknowledgements Thanks to Tony Phelps, Alan Hyde, Fred Holmes, Dean Savill, Pat O'Reilly, Paolo Mazzei, Mike Hatch and Michael Klimpke, Surrey Wildlife Trust for permissions to reproduce images. Richard Griffiths for amendments and permission to use images. David Bird for distribution and habitat of the Smooth Snake, additions, corrections and permission to use images. Mervyn J Cottenden for his continuing support. © all images on this site are copyright. Please obtain the original copyright holders permission before reproducing imagesno part of this work may be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission of the author Paper copies of the identification pages may be reproduced and distributed for conservation, education and personal use only |
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