As part of the ongoing effort to provide English-language resources about wildlife in China’s capital city, this page is dedicated to the reptiles of Beijing. The guide has been compiled by ZHANG Junduo and Ben WIELSTRA, to whom Wild Beijing owes great thanks.
As with the other guides in the series, we acknowledge that this document is not perfect and the authors welcome any information and photographs that will improve the guide. Please send via email to the address provided in the guide. Thank you!
A Guide to the Reptiles of Beijing
Compiled by ZHANG Junduo and Ben WIELSTRA
Last update 16 May 2022: addition of images of Gail’s Eyelid Skink Plestiodon capito (Kevin R. Messenger), Liu’s Wolfsnake Lycodon liuchengchaoi (W. Scott Lupien), Big-eyed Ratsnake Ptyas dhumnades (W. Scott Lupien) and Chinese Many-tooth Snake Sibynophis chinensis chinensis (W. Scott Lupien).
Introduction
This guide is one of a series about the wildlife that can be found in China’s capital city. It has been compiled by ZHANG Junduo and Ben WIELSTRA for Wild Beijing. The format follows the other guides in providing the English name, scientific name, Chinese name and the pinyin (pronunciation of the Chinese). Photos and a short summary of the status are included where available.
THE REPTILES
Turtles (native)
Chinese Softshell Turtle – Pelodiscus sinensis – 中华鳖 – Zhōnghuá biē
Chinese Softshell Turtle, 1 June 2016 (Rao Yu)
Turtles (introduced)
Red-eared Slider – Trachemys scripta – 密西西比红耳龟 – Mìxīxībǐ hóng ěr guī
Red-eared Slider, 23 April 2017 (Zhang Junduo)
THE LIZARDS
Peking Gecko – Gekko swinhonis – 无蹼壁虎 – Wú pǔ bìhǔ
Peking Gecko, 19 March 2017 (Zhang Junduo)
Ordos Racerunner – Eremias brenchleyi – 山地麻蜥 – Shāndì má xī
Ordos Racerunner, 3 April 2017 (Zhang Junduo)
Mongolia Racerunner – Eremias argus – 丽斑麻蜥 – Lì bān má xī
Gail’s Eyelid Skink – Plestiodon capito – 黄纹石龙子 – Huáng wén shí lóng zi
Modest Ground Skink – Scincella modesta – 宁波滑蜥北方亚种 – Níngbō huá xī běifāng yà zhǒng
Modest Ground Skink, date unknown (Fang Yunyi)
THE SNAKES
Korean Rat Snake – Elaphe anomala – 赤峰锦蛇 – Chìfēng jǐn shé
Taiwan Stink Snake / King Rat Snake – Elaphe carinata – 王锦蛇 – Wáng jǐn shé
Taiwan Stink Snake / King Rat Snake, 17 July 2020, Huairou District (David Mackie)
Père David’s Rat Snake – Elaphe davidi – 团花锦蛇 – Tuán huā jǐn shé
Père David’s Rat Snake, 30 May 2021 (Terry Townshend)
Steppe Rat Snake – Elaphe dione – 白条锦蛇 – Báitiáo jǐn shé
Steppe Rat Snake, 1 July 2017 (Tang Ke)
Beauty Rat Snake – Elaphe taeniurus – 黑眉锦蛇 – Hēi méi jǐn shé
Beauty Rat Snake, date unknown (大好）
Mandarin Rat Snake – Euprepiophis mandarinus – 玉斑蛇 – Yù bān shé
Mandarin Rat Snake, 20 October 2017 (Bian Zhiming)
Frog-eating / Red-backed Rat Snake – Oocatochus rufodorsatus – 红纹滞卵蛇 – Hóng wén zhì luǎn shé
Frog-eating/Red-backed Rat Snake, 30 April 2016 (Zhao Xiangyu)
Red-banded Snake – Lycodon rufozonatus – 赤链蛇 – Chì liàn shé
Liu’s wolfsnake – Lycodon liuchengchaoi – 刘氏白环蛇 -Liú shì bái huán shé
This species was first described based on three specimens from Tangjiahe and Monping (Hengduan Mountains) in Sichuan in 2011 (Zhang et al, 2011a). It has since been found in Anhui, Shaanxi and Beijing at least.
Mountain / Formosa Wolf Snake – Lycodon ruhstrati – 黑背链蛇 – Hēi bèi liàn shé
Mountain / Formosa Wolf Snake, date unknown (大好)
Slender Racer – Orientocoluber spinalis – 黄脊东方蛇 – Huáng jí dōngfāng shé
Slender Racer, 15 April 2016 (Song Yi)
Tiger Keelback – Rhabdophis tigrinus – 虎斑颈槽蛇 – Hǔbān jǐng cáo shé
Tiger Keelback, 24 June 2021 (Terry Townshend)
Chinese Many-tooth Snake – Sibynophis chinensis – 黑头剑蛇 – Hēitóu jiàn shé
Big-eyed Ratsnake – Ptyas dhumnades – 乌梢蛇 – Wū shāo shé
Short-tailed Mamushi – Gloydius brevicaudus – 短尾蝮 – Duǎn wěi fù
Gobi Pit Viper – Gloydius stejnegeri – 华北蝮 – Huáběi fù
Gobi Pit Viper, date unknown (Xing Chao)
Siberian Pit Viper – Gloydius halys halys – 西伯利亚蝮指名亚种 – Xībólìyǎ fù zhǐmíng yà zhǒng
Siberian Pit Viper, date unknown (大好）
Header image: Tiger Keelback, Wenyu River, July 2021 (Terry Townshend)