The Reptile Database is a scientific database that collects taxonomic information on all living reptile species (i.e. no fossil species such as dinosaurs). The database focuses on species (as opposed to higher ranks such as families) and has entries for all currently recognized ~14,000 species and their subspecies, [1] although there is usually a lag time of up to a few months before newly described species become available online. The database collects scientific and common names, synonyms, literature references, distribution information, type information, etymology, and other taxonomically relevant information.
The database was founded in 1995 as EMBL Reptile Database [2] when the founder, Peter Uetz, was a graduate student at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany. Thure Etzold had developed the first web interface for the EMBL DNA sequence database which was also used as interface for the Reptile Database. In 2006, the database moved to The Institute of Genomic Research (TIGR) and briefly operated as TIGR Reptile Database [3] until TIGR was merged into the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) where Uetz was an associate professor until 2010. Since 2010, the database has been maintained on servers in the Czech Republic under the supervision of Peter Uetz and Jirí Hošek, a Czech programmer. [4] The database celebrated its 25th anniversary together with AmphibiaWeb which had its 20th anniversary in 2021. [5]
As of August 2024, the Reptile Database lists about 12,200 species (including another ~2,200 subspecies) in about 1250 genera (see figure), and has more than 60,000 literature references and about 22,000 photos. The database has constantly grown since its inception with an average of 100 to 200 new species described per year over the preceding decade. [6] Recently, the database also added a more or less complete list of primary type specimens. [7]
The Reptile Database has been a member of the Species 2000 project that has produced the Catalogue of Life (CoL), a meta-database of more than 150 species databases that catalog all living species on the planet. [8] The CoL provides taxonomic information to the Encyclopedia of Life (EoL). The Reptile Database also collaborates with the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), the citizen science project iNaturalist, [9] and has links to the IUCN Redlist database. The NCBI taxonomy database links out to the Reptile Database.
Edward Harrison Taylor was an American herpetologist from Missouri.
Taipans are snakes of the genus Oxyuranus in the elapid family. They are large, fast-moving, highly venomous, and endemic to Australia and New Guinea. Three species are recognised, one of which, the coastal taipan, has two subspecies. Taipans are some of the deadliest known snakes.
Xenopeltis, the sunbeam snakes, are the sole genus of the monotypic family Xenopeltidae, the species of which are found in Southeast Asia. Sunbeam snakes are known for their highly iridescent scales. Three species are recognized, each one with no subspecies. Studies of DNA suggest that the xenopeltids are most closely related to the Mexican burrowing python and to the true pythons (Pythonidae).
The spotted python, eastern small-blotched python, or eastern Children's python is a python species found in northern Australia and New Guinea. It is a popular pet among Australian reptile enthusiasts and other reptile enthusiasts abroad due to its small size and even temperament. No subspecies were originally recognized. However, two subspecies were recognized as of 2020; A. m. maculosa and A. m. peninsularis.
The Cylindrophiidae are a monotypic family of secretive, semifossorial, non-venomous snakes containing the genus Cylindrophis found in southeastern Asia. These are burrowing snakes and most have a banded pattern on the belly. Currently, 13 species are recognized, all with no subspecies. Common names include Asian pipe snakes or Asian cylinder snakes.
Boiga beddomei, commonly known as Beddome's cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India, in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa states.
The western cottonmouth was once classified as a subspecies of the cottonmouth. However, DNA based studies published in 2008 and 2015, revealed no significant genetic difference between the eastern cottonmouth and the western cottonmouth and synonymized the two subspecies. The resulting taxonomy does not recognizes the western cottonmouth as a valid taxon. Several subsequent reviews and species accounts have followed and supported the revised taxonomy. Information on this snake can be found in the Agkistrodon piscivorus article.
Hobart Muir Smith, born Frederick William Stouffer, was an American herpetologist. He is credited with describing more than 100 new species of American reptiles and amphibians. In addition, he has been honored by having at least six species named after him, including the southwestern blackhead snake, Smith's earth snake, Smith's arboreal alligator lizard, Hobart's anadia, Hobart Smith's anole, and Smith's rose-bellied lizard. At 100 years of age, Smith continued to be an active and productive herpetologist. Although he published on a wide range of herpetological subjects, his main focus throughout his career was on the amphibians and reptiles of Mexico, including taxonomy, bibliographies, and history. Having published more than 1,600 manuscripts, he surpassed all contemporaries and remains the most published herpetologist of all time.
Dr. Glen Milton Storr was an Australian ornithologist and herpetologist. He joined the Western Australian Museum in 1962 and became curator of ornithology and herpetology in 1965. He was a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU), and served as secretary of the Western Australian Branch of the RAOU in 1954.
Rhinophis is a genus of nonvenomous shield-tail snakes found in Sri Lanka and South India. Currently, 24 species are recognized in this genus. Of the 24 species, 18 are endemic to Sri Lanka, while six are endemic to South India.
The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano is a museum in Milan, Italy. It was founded in 1838 when naturalist Giuseppe de Cristoforis donated his collections to the city. Its first director was Giorgio Jan.
Siebenrockiella is a small genus of black marsh turtles. It used to be monotypic but now has two species with the addition of the Philippine forest turtle. The genus was originally erected in 1869 by John Edward Gray under the name Bellia, commemorating Thomas Bell, but this name is a junior homonym of Bellia Milne-Edwards, 1848, a crustacean genus. The replacement name, Siebenrockiella, was published in 1929 by Wassili Adolfovitch Lindholm, and commemorates Friedrich Siebenrock.
Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen was formerly a venomous pit viper subspecies found in the eastern United States. However, recent taxonomic changes do not recognize the northern copperhead as a valid taxon.
The Egyptian cobra is one of the most venomous species of snakes in North Africa, and has bitten many humans. It averages roughly 1.4 metres (4.6 ft) in length; the longest specimen recorded so far measured 2.59 metres (8.5 ft).
Leptophis is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as parrot snakes. The species within this genus are widely distributed throughout Mexico, Central and South America.
Kentropyx calcarata, commonly known as the striped forest whiptail, is a species of lizard endemic to South America.
The Apalachicola snapping turtle is a proposed species that lives in the Apalachicola River, United States. The species can as well be found within other panhandle rivers within the states of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. It has traditionally been included as part of the widespread species M. temminckii, but an analysis in 2014 recommended treating it as distinct. A study published the following year considered this change unwarranted and recommended that M. apalachicolae should be considered a junior synonym of M. temminckii, and this is followed by the Reptile Database, IUCN's Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, and the Committee On Standard English And Scientific Names. The Apalachicola snapping turtles and other species of snapping turtle have been classified as endangered due to human activity which is causing the destruction to their natural habitats
Albert Schwartz was an American zoologist who worked extensively with the herpetofauna of Florida and the West Indies, and later with butterflies. One magazine article once dubbed him as one of the "Kings of West Indian Anole Taxonomy".
Oligodon annulifer, also known as the ringed kukri snake, is a colubrid snake endemic to the island of Borneo.
William Roy "Bill" Branch was a British-South-African herpetologist.
