There are about 110 species of reptiles in Singapore. Most of them are small or rarely seen, but there are a few which are large or prominent. The largest reptiles found in Singapore are the estuarine crocodile and the reticulated python. The ones most commonly seen in urban areas are the house geckos (typically called house lizard by the lay-person) and the invasive changeable lizard. The changeable lizard has pushed the local green crested lizard into forested areas.
In gardens and parks, one can often see common sun skinks, the introduced red-eared sliders and flying lizards.
Water monitors are common in rivers and mangrove. Another monitor that can be found in Singapore is the clouded monitor, which is a forest species. It is smaller than the Malayan water monitor, has slit nostrils and is paler in colour. In 2008, the Dumeril's monitor was rediscovered in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.
Equatorial spitting cobras can still be found in desolated urban areas of Singapore. The larger king cobra is much rarer. The banded krait sometimes show up as road kill. There are also 2 species of coral snake and 9 species of sea snake.
List of reptiles
Order Crocodylia (crocodilians)
Family Crocodylidae (crocodiles) Estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) - formerly widespread, recent sightings in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji, Lim Chu Kang, Woodlands Waterfront, Sembawang, Lower Seletar Reservoir, Pasir Ris, Changi, East Coast
Family Gavialidae (gharials) False gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) - Possible escaped juvenile caught in Pasir Ris in 1991
Order Squamata (lizards and snakes)
Family Eublepharidae (eyelid geckos) Fox-faced gecko (Aeluroscalabotes felinus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Family Gekkonidae (geckos) Peninsular rock gecko (Cnemaspis peninsularis) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong Singapore bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus majulah) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Admiralty Park Panti bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylyus pantiensis) - Pulau Tekong Marbled bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Admiralty Park Peninsular bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus semenanjungensis) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve Banded forest gecko (Cyrtodactylus peninsularis) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Four-clawed gecko (Gehyra mutilata) - common and widespread Brown's flap-legged gecko (Gekko browni) - Pulau Tekong Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) - introduced Horsfield's flying gecko (Gekko horsfieldii) - indeterminate Kuhl's flying gecko (Gekko kuhli) - Pulau Tekong Spotted house gecko (Gekko monarchus) - common and widespread Large forest gecko (Gekko hulk) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve (possibly extirpated) Frilly gecko (Hemidactylus craspedotus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Flat-tailed gecko (Hemidactylus platyurus) - common and widespread Brooke's house gecko (Hemidactylus brookii) - likely introduced Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) - common and widespread Indo-Pacific gecko (Hemidactylus garnotii) - indeterminate Lowland dwarf gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus typus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Mandai Mangroves, Pasir Ris, Bidadari Mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) - widespread in coastal habitats
Family Agamidae (agamids) Earless agamid (Aphaniotis fusca) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) - forests and woodland habitats on Singapore Island, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Sentosa Siamese blue crested lizard (Calotes goetzi) - introduced, Sungei Tengah Changeable lizard (Calotes versicolor) - introduced, common and widespread on Singapore Island, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Lazarus Island, St. John's Island, Sentosa, Pulau Semakau Black-bearded flying lizard (Draco melanopogon) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Five-banded flying lizard (Draco quinquefasciatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Common gliding lizard (Draco sumatranus) - common and widespread on Singapore Island, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Sentosa Orange-bearded flying lizard (Draco abbreviatus) - indeterminate Red-edged flying lizard (Draco formosus) - indeterminate Peninsular horned tree lizard (Acanthosaura armata) - indeterminate Bell's anglehead lizard (Gonocephalus bellii) - indeterminate
Family Dactyloidae (anoles) Brown anole (Norops sagrei) - introduced, breeding population in Gardens by the Bay, Jurong Lake Gardens and Mandai, individuals spotted in Bishan, Tanah Merah, Punggol, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Family Iguanidae (iguanas) Green iguana (Iguana iguana) - introduced, breeding populations in Jurong Hill, Jurong Bird Park, Sungei Tengah, Choa Chu Kang, escapees occasionally seen elsewhere
Family Scincidae (skinks)
Olive tree skink (Dasia olivacea) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin Brown tree skink (Dasia grisea) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Mangrove skink (Emoia atrocostata) - Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Mandai Mangroves, Pulau Tekong Many-lined sun skink (Eutropis multifasciata) - common and widespread Striped sun skink (Eutropis rugifera) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Striped tree skink (Lipinia vittigera) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Short-limbed supple skink (Lygosoma siamense) - possibly introduced - Singapore Botanic Gardens Garden supple skink (Subdoluseps bowringii) - common and widespread Singapore swamp skink (Tytthoscincus temasekensis) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Family Varanidae (monitor lizards)
Clouded monitor (Varanus nebulosus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerilii) - very rarely seen, Nee Soon swamp forest Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator) - common and widespread in habitats close to water
Family Typhlopidae (blind snakes) Brahminy blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus) Striped blind snake (Ramphotyphlops lineatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve White-bellied blind snake (Argyrophis muelleri) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin
Family Cylindrophiidae (Asian pipe snakes) Red-tailed pipe snake (Cylindrophis ruffus)
Family Xenopeltidae (sunbeam snakes) Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis unicolor) - common and widespread
Family Pythonidae (pythons) Malaysian blood python (Python brongersmai) - extirpated Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) - common and widespread
Family Acrochordidae (file snakes)
Banded file snake (Acrochordus granulatus) - Straits of Johor, Pulau Semakau
Family Colubridae (colubrids)
Subfamily Sibynophiinae Black-headed collared snake (Sibynophis melanocephalus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Kranji, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
Subfamily Natricinae Peters' keelback (Hebius petersii) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve Southern chequered keelback (Fowlea flavipunctatus) - introduced, possibly extirpated Blue-necked keelback (Rhabdophis rhodomelas) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Red-necked keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus) - indeterminate Spotted keelback (Xenochrophis maculatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Triangle keelback (Xenochrophis trianguligerus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve Striped keelback (Xenochrophis vittatus) - introduced
Subfamily Calamariinae Red-bellied reed snake (Calamaria albiventer) - indeterminate Gimlett's reed snake (Calamaria lovii gimletti) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Sentosa Variable reed snake (Calamaria lumbricoidea) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Pink-headed reed snake (Calamaria schlegeli) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Dwarf reed snake (Pseudorabdion longiceps) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
Subfamily Ahaetullinae Speckle-headed whip snake (Ahaetulla fasciolata) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore Botanic Gardens Malayan whip snake (Ahaetulla mycterizans) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Oriental whip snake (Ahaetulla prasina) - common and widespread Golden tree snake (Chrysopelea ornata) - introduced, individuals seen at Shenton Way, Gardens by the Bay, Lim Chu Kang, West Coast Paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) - common and widespread Twin-barred tree snake (Chrysopelea pelias) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin Striped bronzeback (Dendrelaphis caudolineatus) - common and widespread Blue bronzeback (Dendrelaphis cyanochloris) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Elegant bronzeback (Dendrelaphis formosus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Haas' bronzeback (Dendrelaphis haasi) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve Kopstein's bronzeback (Dendrelaphis kopsteini) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Painted bronzeback (Dendrelaphis pictus) - common and widespread Keel-bellied whip snake (Dryophiops rubescens) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Western Catchment, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong
Subfamily Colubrinae Dog-toothed cat snake (Boiga cynodon) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong Gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga melanota) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Mandai Mangroves, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, St. John's Island, Pulau Semakau White-spotted cat snake (Boiga drapiezii) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve Jasper cat snake (Boiga jaspidea) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong Common Malayan racer (Coelognathus flavolineatus) Copperhead racer (Coelognathus radiatus) - indeterminate Malayan bridle snake (Lycodon subannulatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Orange-bellied ringneck (Gongylosoma baliodeira) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Rainbow tree snake (Gonyophis margaritatus) - indeterminate Red-tailed racer (Gonyosoma oxycephalum)- Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong Tricoloured ringneck (Liopeltis tricolor) House wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus) - common and widespread Banded wolf snake (Lycodon subcinctus) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong Brown kukri snake (Oligodon purpurascens) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Striped kukri snake (Oligodon octolineatus) - common and widespread Barred kukri snake (Oligodon signatus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Striped racer (Orthriophis taeniurus) - indeterminate, historically recorded from Pulau Ubin Keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve White-bellied rat snake (Ptyas fusca) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve Indochinese rat snake (Ptyas korros) Banded rat snake (Ptyas mucosa) - indeterminate Malaysian brown snake (Xenelaphis hexagonotus) - Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Family Homalopsidae (mud snakes) Keel-bellied water snake (Bitia hydroides) - indeterminate Cantor's water snake (Cantoria violacea) Dog-faced water snake (Cerberus schneiderii) - Straits of Johor, Pulau Semakau Rainbow water snake (Enhydris enhydris) - likely introduced Crab-eating water snake (Fordonia leucobalia) Yellow-lipped water snake (Gerarda prevostiana) Puff-faced water snake (Homalopsis buccata) Blackwater mud snake (Phytolopsis punctata) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve Selangor mud snake (Raclitia indica) - Central Catchment Nature Reserve