Ecoregion

Southern Plains Reptiles and Amphibians by Month

Prairie and cross timbers cover the Southern Plains. Pond Sliders are the most-reported herp. Texas Spiny Lizards climb trees and fences, and Gulf Coast Toads call after rain. Snakes are the biggest group. May is the busiest month, and the list includes the Broad-banded Copperhead and Texas Coralsnake.

73 species5 venomous

Peak and shoulder ratings are rough guidance, not a schedule. Weather, elevation and the year can shift any species by weeks.

Rare and protected species are left off on purpose. Look, don't take, and never handle a venomous snake.

Species out in Southern Plains, by group and month

Group
Snakes	6	13	23	26	26	25	22	22	23	21	18	8
Lizards	4	7	11	13	13	12	11	10	11	11	6	5
Turtles	5	6	12	13	13	13	10	10	10	10	8	6
Frogs and Toads	2	9	14	17	19	19	19	16	14	12	8	4
Salamanders	1	1	1	1	1

Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).

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59 species at peak or shoulder in September

peak

AlligatorsAmerican AlligatorAlligator mississippiensis

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

peak

Frogs and ToadsBlanchard's Cricket FrogAcris blanchardi

peak

SnakesCommon CoachwhipMasticophis flagellum

peak

TurtlesCommon Snapping TurtleChelydra serpentina

peak

SnakesDeKay's BrownsnakeStoreria dekayi

peak

LizardsEastern Collared LizardCrotaphytus collaris

peak

SnakesEastern Hognose SnakeHeterodon platirhinos

peak

TurtlesFalse Map TurtleGraptemys pseudogeographica

peak

Frogs and ToadsGiant ToadRhinella horribilis

peak

SnakesGopher SnakePituophis catenifer

peak

LizardsGreater Earless LizardCophosaurus texanus

peak

LizardsGreen AnoleAnolis carolinensis

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreen TreefrogDryophytes cinereus

peak

Frogs and ToadsGulf Coast ToadIncilius nebulifer

peak

LizardsLittle Brown SkinkScincella lateralis

peak

SnakesLong-nosed SnakeRhinocheilus lecontei

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

SnakesNorth American RacerColuber constrictor

peak

TurtlesOuachita Map TurtleGraptemys ouachitensis

peak

SnakesPlain-bellied WatersnakeNerodia erythrogaster

peak

Frogs and ToadsPlains Leopard FrogLithobates blairi

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

peak

LizardsPrairie LizardSceloporus consobrinus

peak

SnakesPygmy RattlesnakeSistrurus miliarius

venomous

peak

TurtlesRazor-backed Musk TurtleSternotherus carinatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsRio Grande Chirping FrogEleutherodactylus campi

peak

Frogs and ToadsRio Grande Leopard FrogLithobates berlandieri

peak

TurtlesRiver CooterPseudemys concinna

peak

SnakesRough EarthsnakeVirginia striatula

peak

SnakesRough GreensnakeOpheodrys aestivus

peak

Frogs and ToadsSouthern Leopard FrogLithobates sphenocephalus

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

peak

SnakesTexas CoralsnakeMicrurus tener

venomous

peak

SnakesTexas Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora lineata

peak

LizardsTexas Spiny LizardSceloporus olivaceus

peak

Frogs and ToadsTexas ToadAnaxyrus speciosus

peak

SnakesTimber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Diamond-backed RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Ribbon SnakeThamnophis proximus

peak

Frogs and ToadsWoodhouse's ToadAnaxyrus woodhousii

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsAmerican ToadAnaxyrus americanus

shoulder

LizardsBlue Spiny LizardSceloporus cyanogenys

shoulder

SnakesBroad-banded CopperheadAgkistrodon laticinctus

venomous

shoulder

SnakesCentral American Indigo SnakeDrymarchon melanurus

shoulder

LizardsCommon Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon fasciatus

shoulder

LizardsCommon Spotted WhiptailAspidoscelis gularis

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsCouch's SpadefootScaphiopus couchii

shoulder

SnakesDiamondback WatersnakeNerodia rhombifer

shoulder

SnakesGreat Plains RatsnakePantherophis emoryi

shoulder

TurtlesOrnate Box TurtleTerrapene ornata

shoulder

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

shoulder

LizardsSix-lined RacerunnerAspidoscelis sexlineatus

shoulder

SnakesSpeckled KingsnakeLampropeltis holbrooki

shoulder

SnakesTexas Blind SnakeRena dulcis

shoulder

TurtlesTexas CooterPseudemys texana

shoulder

TurtlesThree-toed Box TurtleTerrapene triunguis

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsWestern Narrow-mouthed ToadGastrophryne olivacea

shoulder

SnakesWestern RatsnakePantherophis obsoletus

About Southern Plains

When are reptiles and amphibians most active in the Southern Plains?

May is the busiest month in the Southern Plains, with 65 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from February through November.

What reptiles and amphibians live in the Southern Plains?

73 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 26 snakes, 19 frogs and toads, 13 turtles, 13 lizards, 1 alligator, and 1 salamander. The most-reported are the Pond Slider, Texas Spiny Lizard, and Green Anole.

Are there venomous snakes in the Southern Plains?

Yes. The Broad-banded Copperhead, Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Pygmy Rattlesnake, and Texas Coralsnake live here. Don't handle them.

Which reptiles and amphibians in the Southern Plains are introduced?

The Mediterranean House Gecko is not native here.

Where does this data come from?

Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.