Reptile
Black Mamba
Africa's fast and feared elapid snake
Order Squamata
Squamata is a taxonomic order in the class Reptilia. Global Animal Guide profiles 39 of its members: Black Mamba, Inland Taipan, Copperhead and 36 more. The table compares them using the figures on each profile.
Squamata species compared
| Animal | Weight | Length | Top speed | Lifespan | Native to | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis | 1.6 kg | 3 m | 16 km/h | 12 yrs | Africa | Least Concern |
| Inland Taipan Oxyuranus microlepidotus | 1.5 kg | 1.8 m | 10 km/h | 15 yrs | Oceania | Least Concern |
| Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix | 300 g | 75 cm | 5 km/h | 18 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Bearded Dragon Pogona vitticeps | 500 g | 60 cm | 15 km/h | 12 yrs | Oceania | Least Concern |
| Reticulated Python Malayopython reticulatus | 75 kg | 6 m | 5 km/h | 25 yrs | Asia | Least Concern |
| Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus | 5 kg | 1.8 m | 5 km/h | 20 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Chameleon Chamaeleonidae | 150 g | 40 cm | 3 km/h | 7 yrs | Africa, Asia, Europe | Least Concern |
| Puff Adder Bitis arietans | 6 kg | 1 m | 5 km/h | 15 yrs | Africa | Least Concern |
| Crested Gecko Correlophus ciliatus | 40 g | 20 cm | 3 km/h | 15 yrs | Oceania | Vulnerable |
| Gaboon Viper Bitis gabonica | 8 kg | 1.5 m | 3 km/h | 20 yrs | Africa | Least Concern |
| Ball Python Python regius | 1.8 kg | 1.5 m | 2 km/h | 30 yrs | Africa | Near Threatened |
| Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus | 15 kg | 1.8 m | 20 km/h | 15 yrs | Africa | Least Concern |
| Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 150 g | 70 cm | 5 km/h | 8 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Eastern Coral Snake Micrurus fulvius | 100 g | 70 cm | 5 km/h | 10 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah | 9 kg | 5.5 m | 18 km/h | 20 yrs | Asia | Vulnerable |
| Sidewinder Crotalus cerastes | 150 g | 60 cm | 10 km/h | 12 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Veiled Chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus | 150 g | 45 cm | 2 km/h | 6 yrs | Asia | Least Concern |
| Boomslang Dispholidus typus | 500 g | 1.5 m | 5 km/h | 10 yrs | Africa | Least Concern |
| Komodo Dragon Varanus komodoensis | 90 kg | 3 m | 20 km/h | 30 yrs | Asia | Endangered |
| Blue-tongued Skink Tiliqua scincoides | 500 g | 45 cm | 5 km/h | 20 yrs | Oceania | Least Concern |
| Green Basilisk Basiliscus plumifrons | 200 g | 70 cm | 12 km/h | 8 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Thorny Devil Moloch horridus | 50 g | 20 cm | 3 km/h | 15 yrs | Oceania | Least Concern |
| Green Anole Anolis carolinensis | 5 g | 20 cm | 5 km/h | 5 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Chuckwalla Sauromalus ater | 900 g | 40 cm | 5 km/h | 25 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Green Anaconda Eunectes murinus | 70 kg | 5 m | 8 km/h | 10 yrs | South America | Least Concern |
| Boa Constrictor Boa constrictor | 15 kg | 3 m | 5 km/h | 25 yrs | North America, South America | Least Concern |
| Coastal Taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus | 3 kg | 2 m | 15 km/h | 18 yrs | Oceania | Least Concern |
| Emerald Tree Boa Corallus caninus | 1.5 kg | 2 m | 8 km/h | 18 yrs | South America | Least Concern |
| Green Tree Python Morelia viridis | 1.5 kg | 1.8 m | 8 km/h | 18 yrs | Oceania, Asia | Least Concern |
| Panther Chameleon Furcifer pardalis | 180 g | 50 cm | 5 km/h | 6 yrs | Africa | Least Concern |
| Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox | 1.8 kg | 1.2 m | 8 km/h | 18 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Corn Snake Pantherophis guttatus | 900 g | 1.4 m | 5 km/h | 18 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Frilled Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii | 600 g | 90 cm | 30 km/h | 15 yrs | Oceania | Least Concern |
| Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator | 20 kg | 2 m | 30 km/h | 15 yrs | Asia | Least Concern |
| Leopard Gecko Eublepharis macularius | 60 g | 22 cm | 12 km/h | 18 yrs | Asia | Least Concern |
| Gila Monster Heloderma suspectum | 700 g | 50 cm | 2 km/h | 20 yrs | North America | Near Threatened |
| Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 150 g | 70 cm | 5 km/h | 8 yrs | North America | Least Concern |
| Adder Vipera berus | 100 g | 80 cm | 8 km/h | 15 yrs | Europe, Asia | Least Concern |
| Green Iguana Iguana iguana | 5 kg | 1.7 m | 35 km/h | 15 yrs | North America, South America | Least Concern |
Figures are typical adult maxima from each profile; follow a profile for ranges, sources and context.
Profiles
Reptile
Inland Taipan
World's most venomous snake by lab toxicity
Reptile
Copperhead
Common US pit viper with hourglass bands
Reptile
Bearded Dragon
The friendly desert lizard and favorite pet reptile
Reptile
Reticulated Python
World's longest snake
Reptile
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Largest rattlesnake of North America
Reptile
Chameleon
The color-changing lizard with 360-degree eyes
Reptile
Puff Adder
Heavy African viper linked to many snakebites
Reptile
Crested Gecko
Eyelash-crested gecko of New Caledonia
Reptile
Gaboon Viper
Heavy rainforest viper with huge fangs
Reptile
Ball Python
The gentle constrictor that curls into a ball
Reptile
Nile Monitor
Large African water monitor and egg predator
Reptile
Common Garter Snake
Familiar harmless snake of North American yards
Reptile
Eastern Coral Snake
Brightly banded venomous elapid of the Southeast
Reptile
King Cobra
The world's longest venomous snake
Reptile
Sidewinder
Horned rattlesnake that sidewinds across dunes
Reptile
Veiled Chameleon
Tall-casqued chameleon of the Arabian Peninsula
Reptile
Boomslang
Arboreal African snake with potent venom
Reptile
Komodo Dragon
The largest lizard on Earth
Reptile
Blue-tongued Skink
Stocky Australian skink with a blue tongue
Reptile
Green Basilisk
Jesus Christ lizard that runs on water
Reptile
Thorny Devil
Spiky desert lizard that drinks via skin channels
Reptile
Green Anole
Colour-changing lizard of southern US gardens
Reptile
Chuckwalla
Rock-dwelling desert lizard that inflates to wedge itself
Reptile
Green Anaconda
The heaviest snake in the world
Reptile
Boa Constrictor
The powerful constricting snake of the Americas
Reptile
Coastal Taipan
Lightning-fast elapid of Australian cane fields
Reptile
Emerald Tree Boa
Emerald coil of the Amazon canopy
Reptile
Green Tree Python
Lime-green python of Papuan rainforests
Reptile
Panther Chameleon
Locale-coloured chameleon of Madagascar
Reptile
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
The venomous pit viper with a warning rattle
Reptile
Corn Snake
The gentle, colorful beginner's pet snake
Reptile
Frilled Lizard
The lizard that flares a dramatic neck frill
Reptile
Asian Water Monitor
One of the largest lizards in the world
Reptile
Leopard Gecko
The spotted desert gecko and beginner-friendly pet
Reptile
Gila Monster
One of the few venomous lizards
Reptile
Garter Snake
One of North America's most common and widespread snakes
Reptile
Adder
Britain's only venomous snake
Reptile
Green Iguana
The large tree-dwelling lizard of the tropics