Herptiles (reptiles and amphibians) aren’t nearly as popular as birds and mammals in the world of symbols. Nevertheless, many U.S. states have adopted official herptiles, and a few have been adopted by various countries as well.
Let’s take a brief tour of herptiles of state. (If you prefer to examine these creatures separately, see the Reptiles and Amphibians pages.)
National Herptiles ˆ
U.S. State Herptiles ˆ
| List of State Herptiles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Species | Designation | |
| Alabama | Alabama red bellied turtle (Pseudemys alabamensis) | Reptile | 1990 |
| Red Hills salamander (Phaeognathus hubrichti) | Amphibian | 2000 | |
| Arizona | ridge nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi) | Reptile | 1986 |
| Arizona tree frog (Hyla eximia) | Amphibian | 1986 | |
| California | California desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) | Reptile | 1972 |
| Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) | Marine Reptile | 2012 | |
| California red legged frog (Rana draytonii) | Amphibian | 2014 | |
| Colorado | western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) | Reptile | 2008 |
| western tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium) | Amphibian | 2012 | |
| Florida | American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) | Reptile | 1987 |
| loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) | Saltwater Reptile | 2008 | |
| gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) | Tortoise | 2008 | |
| Georgia | gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) | Reptile | 1989 |
| green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) | Amphibian | 2005 | |
| Idaho | Idaho giant salamander (Dicamptodon aterrimus) | Amphibian | 2015 |
| Illinois | painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) | Reptile | 2005 |
| eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) | Amphibian | 2005 | |
| Kansas | ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) | Reptile | 1986 |
| barred tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) | Amphibian | 1994 | |
| Louisiana | American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) | Reptile | 1983 |
| green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) | Amphibian | 1993 | |
| Maryland | diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) | Reptile | 1994 |
| Massachusetts | common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) | Reptile | 2007 |
| Michigan | painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) | Reptile | 1995 |
| Mississippi | American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) | Reptile | 2005 |
| Missouri | three toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina) | Reptile | 2007 |
| bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) | Amphibian | 2005 | |
| Nevada | desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) | Reptile | 1989 |
| New Hampshire | red spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) | Amphibian | 1985 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus neomexicanus) | Reptile | 2003 |
| New Mexico spadefoot toad (Spea multiplicata) | Amphibian | 2003 | |
| New York | common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) | Reptile | 2006 |
| North Carolina | eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) | Reptile | 1979 |
| marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) | Salamander | 2013 | |
| Pine Barrens tree frog (Hyla andersonii) | Frog | 2013 | |
| (former) | bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) | Amphibian | 2007 |
| Ohio | black racer (Coluber constrictor) | Reptile | 1995 |
| spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) | Amphibian | 2010 | |
| bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) | Frog | 2010 | |
| Oklahoma | mountain boomer or collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) | Reptile | 1969 |
| bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) | Amphibian | 1997 | |
| South Carolina | loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) | Reptile | 1988 |
| spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) | Amphibian | 1999 | |
| Tennessee | eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) | Reptile | 1995 |
| Tennessee cave salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus) | Amphibian | 1995 | |
| Texas | Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) | Reptile | 1993 |
| Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) | Sea Turtle | 2013 | |
| Texas toad (Bufo speciosus) | Amphibian | 2009 | |
| Vermont | painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) | Reptile | 1994 |
| northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) | Amphibian | 1998 | |
| Virginia | eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) | Snake | 2016 |
| Washington | Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla) | Amphibian | 2007 |
| West Virginia | timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) | Reptile | 2008 |
| Wyoming | horned toad (Phrynosoma douglasii) | Reptile | 1993 |
Other Herptile Symbols ˆ
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