An annotated check list of the reptiles and amphibians of Texas.

All species known to occur in the geographic boundaries of Texas have been included in this check list. Certain other species which are believed to occur or possibly may occur within the state have also been included. These are marked by brackets surrounding the entire name to indicate their hypothetical status. A number of species reported from their state are omitted for lack of sufficient evidence of their normal occurrence. These are: Carphophis amoena vermis (Kennicott), Rhadinaea flavilata (Cope), Sceloporus couchii Baird, Sceloporus clarkii clarkii (Baird and Girard), Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi Grobman, Cemophors coccinea (Blumenbach), Hemidactylium scutatum (Schlegel), Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Green), and Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni Stull. The species synonymy includes a reference to the original description of the form; a citation to the first appearance of the combination of the names used, including the intermediate references leading to the use of that particular combination; references to the original descriptions of all synonyms with type localities in Texas; a reference to all available plat or photograph where possible; and references to any pertinent work the nature of which is usually indicated. The arrangement of the references for each species is in chronological order in the appearance of the synonyms. The several references occurring under one synonym are also arranged chronologically. Brackets appearing around a portion of a combination indicate that the bracketed portion is omitted in the article cited. Where other references follow a bracketed combination, it is not implied that these also had abbreviated names. The generic synonymies include references to recent taxonomic treatments. Systematic arrangement has been followed for all categories higher than genus, but genera, species, and subspecies are listed alphabetically within the higher groups. The keys are of the dicotomous type and are so constructed that each major systematic category is distinguished in one key. Genera with single species have diagnostic notes included under the remarks for the species.