At right is a listing, in alphabetical order by common name, of the reptiles, amphibians and insects and spiders at Lincoln Park Zoo.


| A-H | I-P | Q-Z |
| Amphibians |


Now Open!!

The Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House, a state-of-the-art facility located west of the Waterfowl Lagoon, will be home to more than 200 animals, including 40 species from koalas to African Dwarf Crocodiles. Now open, the new building features a dramatic glass-enclosed walk-through ecosystem that will transport visitors to the rivers, savannas and forests of the world.

Click here...


What is a reptile?

The word reptile means "crawling animal," but this is not the only feature that distinguishes these interesting animals. They are cold-blooded, backboned animals that breathe air. All reptiles are covered with scales or modified scales which are dry and firm; they ae neither cold nor slimy. Some, like snakes and lizards, shed their skin periodically to allow for growth; others, such as turtles and tortoises, are surrounded by a shell to help protect them.

Many Reptiles, since they are cold-blooded, have the ability to go long periods without eating. Most reptiles are carnivorous and feed on mammals, birds, other reptiles, fish, insects and eggs. Farmers find some types excellent for pest control since they will eat rodents, grasshoppers and other insects that destroy crops. Reptiles capture their prey in different ways. Some use powerful jaws, some capture by constriction and others poison their prey by injecting venom. At Lincoln Park Zoo you can see a variety of venomous and non-venomous snakes and lizards from around the world.

Common Name Scientific Name
African Fat-tailed Gecko Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
 Aruba Island Rattlesnake Crotalus unicolor
 Beaded Lizard Heloderma horridum
 Black Pine Snake Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi
 Blanding's Turtle Emydoidea blandingii
 Boa Constrictor Boa constrictor imperator
 Bullsnake Pituophis melanoleucus sayi
 Chuckwalla Sauromalus obesus (unk subsp)
 Common Slider Trachemys scripta (unk subsp)
 Cornsnake/Red Ratsnake Elaphe guttata guttata
 Dumeril's Ground Boa Acrantophis dumerili
 Dwarf Crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis
 Dyeing Poison Arrow Frog Dendrobates tincorius
 Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina carolina
 Eastern Indigo Snake Drymarchon corais couperi
 Eastern Kingsnake Lampropeltis getulus getulus
 Egyptian Spiny-tailed Lizard Uromastyx aeqyptius
 Four-toed Tegu Teius teyou
 Gold Dust Day Gecko Phelsuma laticauda laticauda
 Gopher Tortoise Gopherus polyphemus
 Gopher/Pine Snake Pituophis melanoleucus (unk subsp)
Green Iguana Iguana iguana
Green Tree Python Chondropython viridis
 Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard Uromastyx hardwicki
 Kenya Sand Boa Eryx colubrinus loveridgei
 Leopard Gecko Eublepharis macularius
 Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis (unk subsp)
 Madagascar Day Gecko Phelsuma standingi
 Madagascar Giant Day Gecko Phelsuma madagascariensis (unk subsp)
 Madagascar Ground Boa Madagascarophis colubrina
 Madagascar Tree Boa Sanzinia madagascariensis
 Prehensile-tailed Skink Corucia zebrata
 Radiated Tortoise Geochelone radiata
 Rhinoceros Iguana Cyclura cornuta cornuta
 Royal/Ball Python Python regius
 Shingleback Skink Tiliqua rugosus
 Sinaloan Milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum sinaloae
 Sonoran Black Kingsnake Lampropeltis getulus nigrita
 South American Red-footed Tortoise Geochelone carbonaria
 Spiny Lava Lizard Tropidurus spinulosus
 Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata
 Star Tortoise Geochelone elegans
 Sungazer/Giant Zonure Cordylus giganteus
 Texas Tortoise Gopherus berlandieri
 Three-toed Box Turtle Terrapene carolina triunguis
 Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko
 Virgin Islands Boa Epicrates monensis granti
 Western Hognose Snake Heterodon nasicus (unk subsp)
 Wood Turtle Clemmys insculpta

What is an amphibian?

Frogs, toads and salamanders are amphibians, which means "double life." These animals spend the first part of their lives swimming in waterand, like fish, use gills to breathe. Later, they aquire rudimentary lungs and are also able to live on land as well as in the water. Because of this unique feature, they are considered to be the evoloutionary link between fish and all higher vertebrates--reptiles, birds and mammals.

Common Name Scientific Name
 Giant Marine Toad  Bufo marinus
 Horned Frog Ceratophrys cornuta
 Northern Leopard Frog Rana pipiens
 Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum (unk subsp)

Arthropods at Lincoln Park Zoo. Common Name Scientific Name
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Gromphadorhaima portentosa
King Baboon Spider Citharischius crawshayi
Leafcutter Ant Atta cephalotes