Snakes and lizards belong to the order Squamata. These are reptiles that have scaly skin and great jaw mobility. 

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Snakes can be distinguished by their lack of limbs and elongated bodies. Lizards have legs and more compact bodies in comparison to snakes. There are almost 8,000 species of lizards across the world, only one being found in Connecticut (Uetz et al., 2025). This singular species belongs to the family Scincidae, skinks. Over 4,000 species of snakes have been described, and 14 of these can be found in Connecticut (Uetz et al., 2025). Here in Connecticut the majority belongs to the family Colubridae. The remaining two are from Viperidae, and are venomous.

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To learn more about the snakes and lizards found in Connecticut, click on a species below: