Reptiles &
Amphibians
of La Saladita.

Lane's Leaf-toed Gecko

The native gecko of the Pacific slope dry forest. Slender, pale tan-grey with faint banding; toes broad and leaf-shaped. Found on rocky outcrops, boulders, and tree bark. Active after dark.

Habitat: rocky dry forest, boulders. Season: year-round, most active in warm months. Source: Reptile Database; GBIF occurrence records (23 in bbox).

Common House Gecko

The small, translucent, chirping gecko on every lit wall after dark throughout coastal Mexico. Not documented in the 50 km iNat/GBIF pull (no confirmed record returned), but its presence in Zihuatanejo and all coastal Guerrero towns is certain. Harmless; eats mosquitoes and moths.

Habitat: buildings, palapas, walls near lights. Introduced from Southeast Asia; invasive throughout tropical Americas. Season: year-round.

Green Iguana

The large, spiny-crested iguana basking on boulders and overhanging branches around the lagoon. Adults reach 150 cm. Herbivorous; excellent swimmers. Drop into water to escape predators.

Habitat: lagoon margin trees, rocky shorelines, gardens. Season: year-round; more active in warm dry season. Protected under NOM-059-SEMARNAT in Mexico.

Western Spiny-tailed Iguana

Stockier and greyer than the Green Iguana, with a pronounced spiny tail. Prefers dry rocky terrain and stone walls. One of Mexico’s faster lizards; capable of short sprints exceeding 30 km/h. Omnivorous adults.

Habitat: rocky outcrops, dry thorny scrub, human structures. Season: year-round. Endemic to Mexico’s Pacific slope. Vulnerable due to hunting pressure and habitat loss. Protected NOM-059.

Brown Basilisk

The “Jesus Christ lizard.” Brown with pale lateral stripes; crested males distinctive. Runs bipedally across water surface when alarmed — common at lagoon edges. Hatchlings weigh under 2 g and can cover several metres of water before sinking.

Habitat: dense vegetation at water margins. Season: year-round; most active and conspicuous Apr–Oct. GBIF records sparse (likely undercount from this specific area).

Clouded Anole

Small anole of the Pacific dry forest; brown to grey-green with clouded patterning and a dewlap. Common on tree trunks and fences. Males bob and display frequently. Mexico-endemic species.

Habitat: tree trunks, shrubs, fences. Season: year-round. Endemic to Mexico’s Pacific slope dry forest.

Black-nosed Lizard

Spiny lizard of boulder fields and stone walls. Males have blue-green belly patches. Insectivorous; pushes up and down (press-ups) when displaying. Fastest to retreat under rocks when approached.

Habitat: rocky outcrops, stone walls, road cuts. Season: year-round; most active in sunny morning hours.

Rainbow Ameiva

A large, fast whiptail lizard; males iridescent blue-green-bronze. Common in open sandy or gravelly ground in the dry forest understorey. Actively forages for insects and small invertebrates by scratching through leaf litter.

Habitat: open sandy ground, roadsides, forest clearings. Season: year-round; diurnal.

Pacific Coast Parrot Snake

Long, slender, bright green snake of the canopy and shrubs. Non-venomous; eats lizards and frogs. Moves rapidly through vegetation. Spectacular open-mouth defensive display when cornered (all bluff). The most likely snake you will encounter at Saladita.

Habitat: trees, shrubs, lagoon-edge vegetation. Season: year-round; more active in wet season when frog prey is abundant.

Western Lyre Snake

Moderately sized (60–100 cm), blotched brown, with a lyre-shaped mark on the head. Mildly venomous (rear-fanged, Duvernoy’s gland) — not dangerous to humans; primarily subdues lizard prey. Rocky outcrops and dry forest at night.

Habitat: rocky terrain, dry forest. Season: year-round; crepuscular to nocturnal. Rear-fanged venom poses no meaningful threat to humans.

Central American Indigo Snake

The largest snake in the region — adults 150–250 cm, glossy dark olive-black. Non-venomous constrictor. Actively hunts rodents, other snakes, and small vertebrates. A formidable and beneficial predator, rarely encountered.

Habitat: dense dry forest, agricultural margins. Season: year-round. 3 GBIF records in bbox; genuinely rare or severely undercounted.

Mexican West Coast Boa Constrictor

The Pacific slope boa constrictor, recently re-described as a distinct species from Boa imperator. Confirmed by iNaturalist within 50 km; 0 GBIF records in the tighter bbox. Nocturnal, arboreal as juveniles, ground-level as adults. Non-venomous; constricts prey. Harmless to healthy adults.

Habitat: dense dry forest, river margins. Season: year-round. Protected under NOM-059-SEMARNAT. Do not handle or disturb.

Brown's Coral Snake — Venomous

Small (40–60 cm), tri-banded red-black-yellow. Fossorial — found under rocks and leaf litter. Documented in the Guerrero Pacific slope. Neurotoxic venom; rear-mounted fangs mean envenomation requires handling or stepping on the snake. See the safety callout above.

Habitat: rocky dry forest floor, leaf litter, buried in soil. Season: year-round. Genuinely rare; 2 confirmed GBIF records in bbox. Rarely encountered by visitors.

Vine Snakes & other non-venomous colubrids

The Thornscrub Vine Snake (O. microphthalmus), Mexican Patchnose Snake (Salvadora mexicana), Striped Road Guarder (Conophis vittatus), False Cat-eyed Snake (Pseudoleptodeira latifasciata), and Ridgehead Snake (Manolepis putnami) are all documented in the region. All non-venomous. Collectively underrepresented in databases.

Combined, these 5 species total fewer than 20 GBIF records in the bbox. Presence confirmed via iNaturalist and regional literature.

Mexican Mud Turtle

Small (10–16 cm), dark domed shell, hinged plastron. Inhabits slow streams, lagoons, and seasonal pools. Omnivore: insects, molluscs, aquatic plants. Will aestivate in dry-season mud. Endemic to Mexico.

Habitat: lagoon margin, slow streams, seasonal pools. Season: active wet season (Jun–Oct); aestivates dry season. Near Threatened due to habitat loss and collection for food trade.

Mexican Spotted Terrapin

Medium box-like turtle with orange-red head markings. Significantly more terrestrial than other freshwater turtles — found in dry forest far from water. Endangered; restricted to a narrow strip of the Mexican Pacific slope including Guerrero.

Habitat: dry forest floor, rock shelters, seasonal streams. Season: more active wet season. Protected NOM-059. Endemic to Guerrero and adjacent states.

Mexican Treefrog

The most frequently recorded amphibian in the area. Large hylid (5–9 cm), grey-tan with dark blotches, prominent eyes. Explosive breeder — large choruses call from trees and shrubs over temporary pools after rain. Call is a loud, duck-like “quank.”

Habitat: lagoon margins, trees near seasonal pools. Season: Jun–Oct (breeding); may persist near permanent water year-round. Most commonly heard mammal-sized vocalizer in the wet-season night soundscape.

Mexican Giant Tree Frog

One of Mexico’s largest tree frogs (up to 10 cm); brilliant green dorsum, red eyes, orange flanks. Relative of the famous Red-eyed Tree Frog. Found in trees near lagoon and seasonal pools. Breeding aggregations call on rainy nights. Spectacular but infrequently seen outside breeding choruses.

Habitat: canopy trees over water. Season: Jun–Oct. One of the more photogenic species in the area; contributes to iNat record count disproportionately for its actual abundance.

Stauffer's Tree Frog

Small hylid (2–3.5 cm); tan-brown, often with an hourglass dorsal pattern. Common in dry-forest trees; uses tree cavities for refuge. Breeds in temporary pools. Less conspicuous than Smilisca; often overlooked.

Habitat: dry forest trees, scrub near seasonal water. Season: Jun–Oct. Confirmed in iNat records for this area.

Dwarf Mexican Tree Frog

Tiny hylid (<2.5 cm); translucent green to yellow-green. Found on vegetation at water’s edge. High-pitched call. Mexico-endemic; distributed along the Pacific slope.

Habitat: emergent vegetation, flooded grasses. Season: Jun–Oct. GBIF confirmed in bbox.

Giant Toad

Large warty toad (up to 18 cm); dark brown with creamy underside. Most common large toad of the Pacific slope. Previously lumped with Rhinella marina (Cane Toad) and shares its toxic parotoid gland secretions. Feeds on large insects, small vertebrates, and even plant material.

Habitat: any moist ground near water; agricultural areas, gardens, lagoon margins. Season: year-round near permanent water; explosive abundance Jun–Oct. Parotoid secretions toxic to dogs — same precautions as for Cane Toad.

Cane Toad / Marine Toad

Globally invasive species, native to this region. Adults up to 15 cm; brown-grey, warty, with large kidney-shaped parotoid glands. Produces bufadienolide toxins. See the safety callout above for pet precautions. Ecological role: major insect predator; also documented consuming small vertebrates.

Habitat: any open or disturbed habitat near water. Season: year-round; most abundant Jun–Oct. Nocturnal. Often found near lit buildings where insects congregate.

Marbled Toad

Mid-sized toad (5–8 cm); beautifully marbled olive-grey. Confirmed in iNaturalist records within 50 km. More cryptic than the giant toads; less likely to be encountered in developed areas.

Habitat: dry forest, rocky terrain near seasonal pools. Season: Jun–Oct. Endemic to Mexico’s Pacific slope.

Sabinal Frog

Medium-sized (4–6 cm) leptodactylid; brown-grey, wrinkled dorsum. Forms foam nests in temporary pools — an easily-overlooked mass of white froth in shallow water that contains eggs and later tadpoles. Loud, repeated clicking call.

Habitat: seasonal pools, ditches, lagoon margins. Season: Jun–Oct. Confirmed iNat records in area.

Mexican Burrowing Toad

Odd, round-bodied frog (5–8 cm); red-orange dorsal stripe on grey body. Spends most of the year buried underground — emerges only on the first heavy rains of the season for explosive mass breeding events in flooded fields. The only member of the family Rhinophrynidae. Call is a ghostly, resonant foghorn.

Habitat: underground; emerges to breed in flooded fields and temporary pools. Season: Jun–Oct (breeding events). Confirmed in iNat records for area.

Rain Frogs (Craugastor)

Small to medium direct-developing frogs; eggs laid on moist ground, no tadpole stage. Taylor's Barking Frog (C. occidentalis) confirmed in iNat records; C. pygmaeus (small barking frog) confirmed via GBIF. Both produce loud, sharp barking calls heard from rock crevices and leaf litter after rain.

Habitat: moist rocky crevices, leaf litter, dry forest floor. Season: Jun–Oct. Active mostly at night after rain.

Oaxacan Caecilian

Worm-like, grey-purple, legless amphibian; up to 35 cm. Spends its entire life underground, burrowing through moist soil and rotting wood. Not a worm (it has tiny eyes, scales, and a jaw). Occasionally turned up in garden soil or construction. Data Deficient: basic natural history poorly documented.

Habitat: moist forest soil, rotting logs, agricultural ground. Season: present year-round; never surface active in dry conditions. A single iNat record within 50 km is almost certainly a significant undercount of true abundance.

Large (~14 cm legspan), dark body with bright orange-red leg joints. Iconic Mexican Pacific-slope tarantula. Docile to humans; bite is painful but not medically dangerous. Adult males wander in search of females in early autumn (Sep–Nov), which is when you're most likely to encounter one on a road or path.

Where to find: silk-lined burrows in dry forest banks and orchard ground; wandering males in early rainy season at dusk. Don't disturb burrows; females live 20+ years and reuse the same one.

Shiny black, ~1.5 cm body, classic red hourglass on the underside. Less common than the scorpion but present. Builds tangled webs in dark, undisturbed corners — garden sheds, woodpiles, palapa rafters, outdoor furniture not in regular use. Bite uncommon but can cause severe muscle pain; clinic visit warranted.

Where to find: low corners of outdoor structures, behind boards, under outdoor furniture. Shake out anything that has been sitting outside.

Striking silver-and-black orb-weaver, body ~1.5 cm with much larger legs. Builds large vertical webs with a zigzag silk stabilimentum across the center. Common in gardens, vegetation, and between palapa poles. Will sit calmly head-down in the middle of the web. Bite is mild; not medically significant.

Where to find: garden vegetation, fence lines, between any two structures supporting a vertical web. Daytime, sunny exposures.

Looks terrifying — flat, crab-like, with two enormously long whip-like front legs used to feel its way in the dark. Not a true scorpion and not venomous; the "whips" are sensory, not weapons. Active at night on stone walls and cave entrances; preys on cockroaches and crickets.

Where to find: stone walls, rocky outcrops at night, cave entrances. Catch with a hand cloth and release outside if found indoors — actually beneficial as a roach predator.