Costa Rica Reptiles Photo Gallery

Around 225 species of reptiles are found in Costa Rica. Five of the world's seven species of sea turtles nest on its beaches.

Lizards:

There are over 70 species of lizards.

Central American whiptail, Holcosus festivus

(idenitifcation uncertain) Costa Rican tropical night lizard, Lepi dophyma reticulatum

Green tree anole, Arolis biprocatus

[unidentified]

Emerald swift (green spiny lizard)(male), Sceloporus malachiticus

[unidentified]

[unidentified]

Basilisks:

Smooth-helmeted iguana (hyelmeted basilisk), Corytophanes cristatus

Brown (striped, common) basilisk (left adults, right juvenile), Basiliscus vittatus

Iguanas:

Black spiny-tailed iguana, Ctenosaura similis

Green iguana (males left, female right), Iguana iguana

Snakes:

There are around 120 species of snakes found in Costa Rica. There are five species of boas, many harmless colubrids, and about twenty venomous snakes. They include coral snakes, various vipers, and two large bushmasters.

Eyelash pitviper, Bothriechis nigroadspersus

Fer-de-lance (terciopelo), Bothrops asper

Crocodilians:

Two crocdilians are found in Costa Rica.

Spectacled (white, common, speckled) caiman, Caiman crocodilus

American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus

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Last modified 20 September 2025