Species of Greatest Conservation Need

**Species of Greatest Conservation Need** (Updated: 06/16/2025)
Scientifc Name	Common Name	Taxonomic Group	SGCN Status	Federal Status	State Status	Global Rank	State Rank	Endemic	General Habitat Type(s)
Drymobius margaritiferus	speckled racer	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 01/30/1997	G5	S1	No	Terrestrial: Dense thickets near water, palm groves, riparian woodlands; often in areas with much vegetation litter on ground.
Ficimia streckeri	Mexican hooknose snake	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	No	Habitats include thorn brush woodland (e.g., cactus, mesquite, acacia, paloverde; especially near water or along the edges of agricultural fields) and lower Rio Grande floodplain in lowland southern Texas. Thi ssanke burrows into soft soil.
Gopherus berlandieri	Texas tortoise	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G4	S2	No	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.
Graptemys caglei	Cagle's map turtle	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 11/16/2000	G3	S3	Yes	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.
Graptemys versa	Texas map turtle	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	SU	Yes	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).
Holbrookia lacerata	plateau spot-tailed earless lizard	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S2	Yes	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).
Holbrookia propinqua	keeled earless lizard	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	No	Terrestrial: Habitats include coastal dunes, barrier islands, and other sandy areas (Axtell 1983). Although it occurs well inland, this species is most abundant on coastal dunes, were it seeks shelter in the burrows of small mammals or crabs (Bartlett and Bartlett 1999).
Holbrookia subcaudalis	Tamaulipan spot-tailed earless lizard	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S2	No	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).
Kinosternon hirtipes murrayi	Chihuahuan mud turtle	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 01/30/1997	G5T5	S1	No	Aquatic: Cattle tanks, stock ponds, and pools on intermittent creeks.
Leptodeira septentrionalis	northern cat-eyed snake	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 01/30/1997	G5	S3	No	Terrestrial: Thorn scrub and decidious woodland; dense thickets bordering ponds and streams.
Macrochelys temminckii	alligator snapping turtle	Reptiles	Yes	PT 11/09/2021	T 03/01/1987	G3	S2	No	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.
Malaclemys terrapin littoralis	Texas diamondback terrapin	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4T3	S2	Yes	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.
Nerodia clarkii	salt marsh snake	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	No	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.
Nerodia harteri	Brazos water snake	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 03/01/1987	G1	S1	Yes	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.
Nerodia paucimaculata	Concho water snake	Reptiles	Yes	DL 11/28/2011	Not Listed	G1	S1	Yes	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.
Ophisaurus attenuatus	slender glass lizard	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	No	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.
Phrynosoma cornutum	Texas horned lizard	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G4G5	S3	No	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.
Phrynosoma hernandesi	mountain short-horned lizard	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G5	S2	No	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.
Pituophis ruthveni	Louisiana pine snake	Reptiles	Yes	T 05/07/2018	T 01/30/1997	G1G2	S1	No	Terrestrial: Deep sandy soils with large stands of well-managed long leaf pine woodlands.
Plestiodon septentrionalis	prairie skink	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S2	No	The prairie skink can occur in any native grassland habitat across the Rolling Plains, Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savanna and Pineywoods ecoregions.
Pseudemys gorzugi	Rio Grande river cooter	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3G4	S2	No	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).
Sceloporus arenicolus	dunes sagebrush lizard	Reptiles	Yes	E 06/20/2024	E 06/20/2024	G1	S1	No	Terrestrial: Active and semi-stabilized sand dunes; dwarf shin-oak sandhills with sagebrush and yucca with open blowouts; burrows in sand or plant litter to escape predators.
Sistrurus miliarius	pygmy rattlesnake	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S2S3	No	The pygmy rattlesnake occurs in a variety of wooded habitats from bottomland coastal hardwood forests to upland savannas. The species is frequently found in association with standing water.
Sistrurus tergeminus	western massasauga	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	No	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.
Tantilla atriceps	Mexican blackhead snake	Reptiles	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S1	No	Terrestrial: Shrubland savanna.