Places › Cities › Tucson › Reptiles & Amphibians

Reptiles & Amphibians of Tucson, AZ

The reptiles & amphibians most often spotted near Tucson, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

45,287
recent observations
50
species listed
50
reptiles & amphibians

Naturalists have logged 45,287 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species near Tucson. The most frequently seen is the Desert Spiny Lizard, with 4,824 recorded sightings.

Rarer finds confirmed near Tucson include Regal Horned Lizard and Sonoran Desert Tortoise - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

Regal Horned LizardSonoran Desert Tortoise

Most-observed reptiles & amphibians near Tucson

Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
4,824 observations
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake
Crotalus atrox
4,359 observations
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
2,768 observations
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
2,704 observations
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
2,123 observations
Sonoran Desert Toad
Incilius alvarius
1,853 observations
Red-spotted Toad
Anaxyrus punctatus
1,781 observations
Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
1,477 observations
Western Whiptail
Aspidoscelis tigris
1,382 observations
San Esteban Island × Sonoran Spiny-tailed Iguana
Ctenosaura conspicuosa × macrolopha
1,377 observations · iNaturalist
Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
1,310 observations
Greater Earless Lizard
Cophosaurus texanus
1,224 observations
Regal Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma solare
1,208 observations
Gila Monster
Heloderma suspectum
1,197 observations
Couch's Spadefoot
Scaphiopus couchii
1,176 observations
Canyon Tree Frog
Dryophytes arenicolor
1,073 observations
Western Banded Gecko
Coleonyx variegatus
1,000 observations
Sonoran Desert Tortoise
Gopherus morafkai
945 observations
Sonoran Spotted Whiptail
Aspidoscelis sonorae
889 observations
American Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
884 observations
Clark's Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus clarkii
826 observations
Long-nosed Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei
776 observations
Mediterranean House Gecko
Hemidactylus turcicus
743 observations
Greater Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi
708 observations
Southwestern Fence Lizard
Sceloporus cowlesi
632 observations
Desert Coachwhip
Masticophis piceus
516 observations · iNaturalist
Tiger Rattlesnake
Crotalus tigris
492 observations
Black-necked Garter Snake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis
435 observations
Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake
Crotalus molossus
409 observations
California King Snake
Lampropeltis californiae
348 observations
Desert Nightsnake
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
347 observations
Desert Kingsnake
Lampropeltis splendida
330 observations
Desert Iguana
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
319 observations
Sonoran Whipsnake
Masticophis bilineatus
243 observations
Great Plains Toad
Anaxyrus cognatus
216 observations
Sonoran Coralsnake
Micruroides euryxanthus
213 observations
Mojave Rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus
199 observations
Sidewinder
Crotalus cerastes
193 observations
Western Threadsnake
Rena humilis
182 observations
Sonoran Mud Turtle
Kinosternon sonoriense
178 observations
Eastern Collared Lizard
Crotaphytus collaris
176 observations
Banded Sand Snake
Sonora cincta
170 observations
Arizona Black Rattlesnake
Crotalus cerberus
164 observations
Checkered Garter Snake
Thamnophis marcianus
146 observations
Lowland Leopard Frog
Lithobates yavapaiensis
143 observations
Sonoran Lyre Snake
Trimorphodon lambda
142 observations
Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera
133 observations
Western Patch-nosed Snake
Salvadora hexalepis
128 observations
Giant Spotted Whiptail
Aspidoscelis stictogrammus
123 observations · iNaturalist
Elegant Earless Lizard
Holbrookia elegans
103 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

Reptiles & Amphibians in nearby places

Out spotting reptiles & amphibians near Tucson?

Take Huck with you. Identify any reptiles & amphibian you find in seconds and build your collection.

Get Huck

Love reptiles & amphibians? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.