Shida Kartli — regional landscape

Region

Reptiles of Shida Kartli

Shida Kartli bridges dry and semi-humid zones via plains, foothills, and the Mtkvari valley. Western and eastern faunal elements meet — from nose-horned viper to fast racers.

Plain · Mtkvari valley28 species3 venomous

Range

Shida Kartli on the map of Georgia

Geography

Habitats

The Shida Kartli plain, foothills, and Mtkvari valley bridge dry and semi-humid zones.

Shida Kartli plain01
Foothills02
Mtkvari valley03

Species

Snakes and reptiles in Shida Kartli

28 species

Nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) Lesser Caucasus

Vipera ammodytes

Nose-horned viper

Lesser Caucasus

Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi) western Georgia

Vipera kaznakovi

Caucasus viper

western Georgia

Red-bellied racer (Dolichophis schmidti) Eastern Georgia

Dolichophis schmidti

Red-bellied racer

Eastern Georgia

Dice snake (Natrix tessellata) Georgia — near water

Natrix tessellata

Dice snake

Georgia — near water

Grass snake (Natrix natrix) Georgia — throughout, most numerous in the humid west

Natrix natrix

Grass snake

Georgia — throughout, most numerous in the humid west

Colchis Slow Worm (Anguis colchica) Georgia

Anguis colchica

Colchis Slow Worm

Georgia

Eastern Treefrog (Hyla orientalis) most of Georgia

Hyla orientalis

Eastern Treefrog

most of Georgia

Caucasian Brown Frog (Rana macrocnemis) Forest and mountain waters

Rana macrocnemis

Caucasian Brown Frog

Forest and mountain waters

Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) near water throughout Georgia

Pelophylax ridibundus

Marsh Frog

near water throughout Georgia

Green Toad (Bufotes viridis) Georgia — open country

Bufotes viridis

Green Toad

Georgia — open country

Caucasian Toad (Bufo verrucosissimus) humid forest

Bufo verrucosissimus

Caucasian Toad

humid forest

European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus) eastern Georgia

Pseudopus apodus

European glass lizard

eastern Georgia

Dahl's whip snake (Platyceps najadum) Eastern and southern Georgia

Platyceps najadum

Dahl's whip snake

Eastern and southern Georgia

European cat snake (Telescopus fallax) Eastern and southern Georgia

Telescopus fallax

European cat snake

Eastern and southern Georgia

Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) Georgia — widespread

Coronella austriaca

Smooth snake

Georgia — widespread

Ring-headed Dwarf Snake (Eirenis modestus) Eastern and central Georgia

Eirenis modestus

Ring-headed Dwarf Snake

Eastern and central Georgia

Transcaucasian Ratsnake (Zamenis hohenackeri) Georgia — dry rocky and grassland country

Zamenis hohenackeri

Transcaucasian Ratsnake

Georgia — dry rocky and grassland country

Meadow Lizard (Darevskia praticola) Eastern and central Georgia — Sioni, Tushurebi

Darevskia praticola

Meadow Lizard

Eastern and central Georgia — Sioni, Tushurebi

Northern Banded Newt (Ommatotriton ophryticus) mountain forest, subalpine, western coast

Ommatotriton ophryticus

Northern Banded Newt

mountain forest, subalpine, western coast

Caucasian Smooth Newt (Lissotriton lantzi) forest ponds and lakes

Lissotriton lantzi

Caucasian Smooth Newt

forest ponds and lakes

Eastern Crested Newt (Triturus karelinii) forest ponds and lakes

Triturus karelinii

Eastern Crested Newt

forest ponds and lakes

Caucasian Parsley Frog (Pelodytes caucasicus) humid Caucasian forest

Pelodytes caucasicus

Caucasian Parsley Frog

humid Caucasian forest

Eastern Spadefoot (Pelobates syriacus) dry landscapes of eastern Georgia

Pelobates syriacus

Eastern Spadefoot

dry landscapes of eastern Georgia

Mediterranean Tortoise (Testudo graeca) Eastern Georgia (T. g. ibera); west — rare (T. g. nikolskii)

Testudo graeca

Mediterranean Tortoise

Eastern Georgia (T. g. ibera); west — rare (T. g. nikolskii)

Portschinsky's Lizard (Darevskia portschinskii) Central Lesser Caucasus — Kojori; hybrid zone in the Tana valley

Darevskia portschinskii

Portschinsky's Lizard

Central Lesser Caucasus — Kojori; hybrid zone in the Tana valley

Wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) Western and eastern lowlands

Argiope bruennichi

Wasp spider

Western and eastern lowlands

Lobed argiope (Argiope lobata) Shida Kartli and Kakheti

Argiope lobata

Lobed argiope

Shida Kartli and Kakheti

Mediterranean black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) Eastern steppe and Kartli

Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

Mediterranean black widow

Eastern steppe and Kartli

Region lists show only named records. Many species are still unmapped to an administrative unit until a source confirms them. Empty municipality pages are not built.

Safety

Venomous snakes in Shida Kartli

Only moderate or high-risk species. Keep distance and open the full profile for identification.

Nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) Lesser Caucasus

Vipera ammodytes

Nose-horned viper

Risk to humansHigh risk

Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi) western Georgia

Vipera kaznakovi

Caucasus viper

Risk to humansModerate risk

Mediterranean black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) Eastern steppe and Kartli

Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

Mediterranean black widow

Risk to humansHigh risk

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Short answers about species recorded in Shida Kartli.

Records include nose-horned viper, Urartian and steppe ratsnakes, red-bellied and Dahl’s whip snakes, cat snake, grass snake and dice snake, smooth snake, and glass lizard.

Nearby