State Reptiles
US Official State Reptiles Designations
Official State Reptiles
Oklahoma was the first state to name an official reptile, the common collared lizard, in 1969. Only two states followed in the 1970s, but the ensuing
decades saw nominations at a rate of almost one per year. State birds are more common, with all fifty states naming one, and they were adopted earlier,
with the first one selected in 1927.
Before their formal designation as state reptiles, Florida's alligator, Maryland's terrapin, and Texas's horned lizard were all mascots of a major
in-state university. West Virginia's timber rattlesnake was an early American flag element dating back to 1775.
Because of their cold-blooded nature, reptiles are more common in warmer climates, and nineteen of the twenty-six state reptiles represent southern states. Six states chose a species named after the state. A turtle was chosen by more than half of the states. In all, the most frequently chosen species, with four states naming it, is the painted turtle. One state reptile, the Alabama red-bellied turtle is legally designated as an endangered species in the United States, and several others, also turtles, are threatened at some lesser level.
Find images, descriptions, taxonomic hierarchy, and a history of the state Reptiles. Lists their basic characteristics, including adoption date, picture, state code, description, characteristics, range and habitat, habits, life cycle, status, and taxonomic hierarchy.
