Identification of Reptilesin the UK

• Six native species

• four are widespread

• Several introduced species

• becoming more common!

Species most likely to be encountered

Common lizard

Slow-worm

Grass snake

Adder

Species less likely to be encountered

Sand lizard

Smooth snake

Red-eared terrapin

Wall lizard

Green lizard

Report aliens at www.alienencounters.org.uk

Common lizard

Males: speckled back & orange belly

Common lizard

Males: speckled back penile bulge

Common lizard

Females: striped back

Common lizard - juveniles

male (speckled) female (striped)

start to develop adult markings

Initially almost black (born in egg membrane), soon become bronze

Eyed markings (‘ocelli’)Males: broad headgreen sides in breeding season

Females: bold eyed markings

Sand lizard

Juveniles: tiny but distinct eyed markings

Slow-worm

Males: typically grey or brown, lack distinct stripes, may have blue spots

Slow-worm

Females: dark brown sides, may have vertebral stripe(s)

Slow-worm

Juveniles: dark sides and vertebral stripe

Slow-worm

Juveniles: usually yellow/gold, but varies through ivory and pink!

Grass snake

Fast and alert, slender, UK’s largest reptile

Grass snake

Green, grey or brown, usually yellow collar

Grass snake

Round pupils

Grass snake

Males: smaller, but longer tails

Females: get bigger,but shorter tails

Grass snake

Eggs usually laid in manure/compost

juveniles

Grass snake

Usually void foul-smelling liquid from anus if captured; sometimes feign death

Adder

Male: often grey Female: usually brown

BUT…..can be difficult to sex (and difficult to see tail differences)

Adder

Males: can be bronze/beige but always BLACK zigzag

Adder

Females: always have BROWN zigzag, however dark

Adder

Females: can be ginger, with BROWN zigzag

Adder

Black (melanistic) adders not uncommon

Adder

Juveniles tend to be ginger or reddish

Smooth snake

Paired or barred markings

Males orange underside

Readily strike/bite or do ‘adder head’

Juveniles slender and small

Females – shorter thinner tail

Males – longer thicker tail

Scalation (head)

Patterning

Sloughed skins

Non-native species

Wall lizard

Green lizard

Red-eared terrapin

Photographs

• Photographs used in this presentation are by Lee Brady, Julia Carey, Jon Cranfield, Terry Elborn, Chris Gleed-Owen, Fred Holmes, Paul Stevens and John Wilkinson

• Copyright of all photographs remains with the photographers and ARC

• These photographs should not be used for purposes other than NARRS training without the permission of the photographers.