Species of Greatest Conservation Need

1279 species
Taxonomic Group
Federal Status
State Status
Endemic

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Species of Greatest Conservation Need (Updated: 01/31/2024)
Common Name Scientifc Name Taxonomic Group Federal Status State Status Global Rank State Rank Endemic General Habitat Type(s)
western chicken turtle Deirochelys reticularia miaria Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5T5 S2S3 False Aquatic and terrestrial: This species uses aquatic habitats in the late winter, spring and early summer and then terrestrial habitats the remainder of the year. Preferred aquatic habitats seem to be highly vegetated shallow wetlands with gentle slopes. Specific terrestrial habitats are not well known.
Texas indigo snake Drymarchon melanurus erebennus Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5T4 S4 False Terrestrial: Thornbush-chaparral woodland of south Texas, in particular dense riparian corridors.Can do well in suburban and irrigated croplands. Requires moist microhabitats, such as rodent burrows, for shelter.
speckled racer Drymobius margaritiferus Reptiles Not Listed T G5 S1 False Terrestrial: Dense thickets near water, palm groves, riparian woodlands; often in areas with much vegetation litter on ground.
longnose leopard lizard Gambelia wislizenii Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4 False This species occurs in open gravelly or sandy habitats that are sparsely vegetated with scattered brush. When threatened, this lizard will retreat to brush piles and rodent burrows to escape.
Texas tortoise Gopherus berlandieri Reptiles Not Listed T G4 S2 False Terrestrial: Open scrub woods, arid brush, lomas, grass-cactus association; often in areas with sandy well-drained soils. When inactive occupies shallow depressions dug at base of bush or cactus; sometimes in underground burrow or under object. Eggs are laid in nests dug in soil near or under bushes.
Cagle's map turtle Graptemys caglei Reptiles Not Listed T G3 S1 True Aquatic: shallow water with swift to moderate flow and gravel or cobble bottom, connected by deeper pools with a slower flow rate and a silt or mud bottom; gravel bar riffles and transition areas between riffles and pools especially important in providing insect prey items; nests on gently sloping sand banks within ca. 30 feet of waters edge.
Texas map turtle Graptemys versa Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G4 SU True Aquatic: Primarily a river turtle but can also be found in reservoirs. Can be found in deep and shallow water with sufficient basking sites (emergent rocks and woody debris).
western hognose snake Heterodon nasicus Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4 False Terrestrial: Shortgrass or mixed grass prairie, with gravel or sandy soils. Often found associated with draws, floodplains, and more mesic habitats within the arid landscape. Frequently occurs in shrub encroached grasslands.
plateau spot-tailed earless lizard Holbrookia lacerata Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed GNR S2 True Terrestrial: Habitats include moderately open prairie-brushland regions, particularly fairly flat areas free of vegetation or other obstructions (e.g., open meadows, old and new fields, graded roadways, cleared and disturbed areas, prairie savanna, and active agriculture including row crops); also, oak-juniper woodlands and mesquite-prickly pear associations (Axtell 1968, Bartlett and Bartlett 1999).
Tamaulipan spot-tailed earless lizard Holbrookia subcaudalis Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed GNR S2 False Terrestrial: Habitats include moderately open prairie-brushland regions, particularly fairly flat areas free of vegetation or other obstructions (e.g., open meadows, old and new fields, graded roadways, cleared and disturbed areas, prairie savanna, and active agriculture including row crops); also, oak-juniper woodlands and mesquite-prickly pear associations (Axtell 1968, Bartlett and Bartlett 1999).
Chihuahuan mud turtle Kinosternon hirtipes murrayi Reptiles Not Listed T G5T5 S1 False Aquatic: Cattle tanks, stock ponds, and pools on intermittent creeks.
northern cat-eyed snake Leptodeira septentrionalis septentrionalis Reptiles Not Listed T G5 S3 False Terrestrial: Thorn scrub and decidious woodland; dense thickets bordering ponds and streams.
Smooth Green Snake Liochlorophis vernalis Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5 SX False Mesic coastal shortgrass prairie community. Prefers dense vegetation. Threatened by habitat destruction. Formerly Gulf Coastal Plain.
alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii Reptiles Not Listed T G3 S2 False Aquatic: Perennial water bodies; rivers, canals, lakes, and oxbows; also swamps, bayous, and ponds near running water; sometimes enters brackish coastal waters. Females emerge to lay eggs close to the waters edge.
Texas diamondback terrapin Malaclemys terrapin littoralis Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G4T3 S2 True Coastal marshes, tidal flats, coves, estuaries, and lagoons behind barrier beaches; brackish and salt water; burrows into mud when inactive. Bay islands are important habitats. Nests on oyster shell beaches.
salt marsh snake Nerodia clarkii Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G4 S3 False This species is generally restricted to the brackish marshes and islands of the mid and upper coastline. It can be found further inland in shallow freshwater marshes.
Brazos water snake Nerodia harteri Reptiles Not Listed T G1 S1 True Aquatic: Shallow, fast-flowing water with a rocky or gravelly substrate preferred. Adults can be found in deep water with mud bottoms, such as large section fo rivers and reservoirs. Riffle habitat is particularly important for this species.
Concho water snake Nerodia paucimaculata Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G1 S1 True Aquatic: Shallow, fast-flowing water with a rocky or gravelly substrate preferred. Adults can be found in deep water with mud bottoms, such as large section fo rivers and reservoirs. Riffle habitat is particularly important for this species.
slender glass lizard Ophisaurus attenuatus Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5 S3 False Terrestrial: Habitats include open grassland, prairie, woodland edge, open woodland, oak savannas, longleaf pine flatwoods, scrubby areas, fallow fields, and areas near streams and ponds, often in habitats with sandy soil.
Texas horned lizard Phrynosoma cornutum Reptiles Not Listed T G4G5 S3 False Terrestrial: Open habitats with sparse vegetation, including grass, prairie, cactus, scattered brush or scrubby trees; soil may vary in texture from sandy to rocky; burrows into soil, enters rodent burrows, or hides under rock when inactive. Occurs to 6000 feet, but largely limited below the pinyon-juniper zone on mountains in the Big Bend area.
mountain short-horned lizard Phrynosoma hernandesi Reptiles Not Listed T G5 S2 False Terrestrial: Generally restricted to high elevation grasslands and forested areas with open ground; soil may vary from rocky to sandy; burrows into soil or occupies rodent burrow when inactive.
roundtail horned lizard Phrynosoma modestum Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4 False This species seems to prefer rocky or gravelly substrates in open areas that are sparsely vegetated.
Louisiana pine snake Pituophis ruthveni Reptiles LT T G1G2 S1 False Terrestrial: Deep sandy soils with large stands of well-managed long leaf pine woodlands.
prairie skink Plestiodon septentrionalis Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G5 S2 False The prairie skink can occur in any native grassland habitat across the Rolling Plains, Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savanna and Pineywoods ecoregions.
Rio Grande river cooter Pseudemys gorzugi Reptiles Not Listed Not Listed G3G4 S2 False Aquatic: Habitat includes rivers and their more permanent spring-fed tributary streams, beaver ponds, and stock tanks (Garrett and Barker 1987). Occupied waters may have a muddy, sandy, or rocky bottom, and may or may not contain aquatic vegetation (Degenhardt et al. 1996).