List of Blue Reptiles - Flora Fauna Fun

In the vast spectrum of the animal kingdom, the color blue is a true rarity, often associated with birds or marine life. Among reptiles, however, this vibrant hue is even more uncommon, making each instance a fascinating exception. These creatures often use their blue coloration for display, camouflage, or as a warning, captivating anyone lucky enough to spot them.

This list dives into that captivating world, showcasing 31 blue reptiles that exhibit this striking coloration. From the vibrant Allison’s Anole (Cuban Blue Anole) to the surprisingly azure juvenile Western Skink, you’ll discover a remarkable range of species. For each entry, you’ll find below their Scientific Name, Habitat, and what makes their Blue Characteristic so unique.

Why is blue coloration so uncommon in reptiles?

Blue is a notoriously rare color in the animal kingdom, and especially among reptiles, because most animals cannot produce blue pigments. Instead, blue coloration is typically achieved through structural color, where light interacts with microscopic structures in their scales to reflect blue wavelengths. While some reptiles possess iridophores, specialized cells that create this effect, the precise cellular arrangement required for vivid blue is less common than the pigment-based colors like greens, browns, and blacks that dominate the reptilian world.

Do blue reptiles stay blue their whole lives?

Not all blue reptiles retain their striking hue throughout their lives. While species like the Allison’s Anole (Cuban Blue Anole) maintain their distinct blue as adults, others, such as the juvenile Western Skink, may display blue only during their younger stages, often as a potential warning to predators. As they mature, their coloration can shift to more muted browns or grays, serving different purposes like camouflage or mating displays.

Blue Reptiles

Common Name	Scientific Name	Habitat	Blue Characteristic
Blue Iguana	Cyclura lewisi	Grand Cayman Islands; dry, rocky coastal forests	Bright sky-blue skin in adults, especially breeding males
Blue Tree Monitor	Varanus macraei	Batu Islands, Indonesia; lowland rainforest and trees	Intense cerulean-blue body with black spots and bands
Electric Blue Gecko	Lygodactylus williamsi	Tanzania (Kimboza Forest); coastal forest patches	Males are vivid electric-blue overall with black markings
Panther Chameleon	Furcifer pardalis	Madagascar; humid forests and plantations	Many island populations show bright blue and turquoise color phases
Parson’s Chameleon	Calumma parsonii	Eastern Madagascar forests	Often shows bluish-green to sky-blue tones in adults
Jackson’s Chameleon	Trioceros jacksonii	East Africa; montane forests (also introduced to Hawaii)	Males sometimes show blue-green coloration and blue highlights
Blue Anole	Anolis gorgonae	Gorgona Island, Colombia; humid rainforest	Overall bright turquoise-blue body in adults
Allison’s Anole (Cuban Blue Anole)	Anolis allisoni	Cuba and Bay Islands (Honduras); coastal forests and scrub	Males show striking blue-green body and bright blue head and dewlap
Eastern Indigo Snake	Drymarchon couperi	Southeastern USA; pine flatwoods, sandhills and hammocks	Glossy black scales with strong blue iridescent sheen in sunlight
Blue Coral Snake	Calliophis bivirgatus	Southeast Asia; tropical forest floor and leaf litter	Shiny blue-black body often with contrasting red or orange head or tail
Blue-banded Sea Krait	Laticauda laticaudata	Indo-Pacific; coral reefs and coastal waters	Distinct broad blue-black bands on a pale background
Blue-tongued Skink	Tiliqua scincoides	Australia; woodlands, grasslands and urban edges	Large vivid blue tongue used as a defensive display
Indonesian Blue-tongued Skink	Tiliqua gigas	New Guinea and nearby islands; tropical forests	Prominent blue tongue displayed when threatened
Common Five-lined Skink (juvenile)	Plestiodon fasciatus	Eastern North America; moist woodlands and leaf litter	Juveniles have bright cobalt-blue tails that fade with age
Western Skink (juvenile)	Plestiodon skiltonianus	Western North America; grasslands, forests and rocky areas	Juveniles display brilliant blue tails
Broad-headed Skink (juvenile)	Plestiodon laticeps	Southeastern USA; hardwood forests and edges	Young individuals with bright blue tails and striped bodies
Eastern Fence Lizard	Sceloporus undulatus	Eastern and central North America; open woodlands and rocky outcrops	Males have vivid blue belly and throat patches
Western Fence Lizard	Sceloporus occidentalis	Western North America; dry, rocky habitats	Males display bright blue belly and throat patches
Desert Spiny Lizard	Sceloporus magister	Southwestern USA and northern Mexico; desert and rocky areas	Males show blue throat and belly patches during breeding
Collared Lizard	Crotaphytus collaris	Southwestern North America; rocky deserts and canyons	Males often have bright turquoise-blue or deep blue bodies with black collars
Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama	Agama mwanzae	Central and East Africa; rocky outcrops and savanna	Dominant males have bright blue head and shoulders with reddish body
Common Agama (blue-headed males)	Agama agama	Sub-Saharan Africa; savanna, towns and rocky areas	Dominant males often show bright blue head and shoulders with red or orange body
Tokay Gecko	Gekko gecko	Southeast Asia; tropical forests and urban areas	Bluish-gray base color with contrasting orange or red spots, giving a blue appearance
Standing’s Day Gecko	Phelsuma standingi	Southwestern Madagascar; spiny forests and trees	Green body with bold turquoise to blue head and markings
Klemmer’s Day Gecko	Phelsuma klemmeri	Northwestern Madagascar; rainforest habitat	Vivid turquoise-blue and green coloration with red head markings
Gold Dust Day Gecko	Phelsuma laticauda	Madagascar and nearby islands; palms, gardens and human habitats	Bright green with turquoise-blue speckles and blue throat in spots
Mauritius Day Gecko	Phelsuma cepediana	Mauritius; plantations, gardens and forest edges	Bright green body with striking blue head and neck patches
Blue-headed Tree Agama	Acanthocercus atricollis	Sub-Saharan Africa; savanna, woodland edges and rocky outcrops	Breeding males have bright blue head and often blue body tones
Blue Racer (snake)	Coluber constrictor foxii	Great Lakes region and parts of central USA; open woodlands and fields	Smooth scales with an overall bluish-gray to slate-blue coloration in adults
Veiled Chameleon	Chamaeleo calyptratus	Yemen and Saudi Arabia; arid mountain slopes and cultivated areas	Males and females can show green to aqua or blue-green hues during displays
Panamanian Blue-Eyed Anole (noted blue dewlap)	Anolis frenatus (population display)	Central America; humid lowland forests	Some populations show brilliant blue dewlaps or throat patches in males

Images and Descriptions

Blue Iguana

Large herbivorous iguana endemic to Grand Cayman; males develop vivid blue coloration during breeding and are the focus of major conservation efforts

Blue Tree Monitor

Arboreal monitor prized for its brilliant blue scales and distinctive spotted pattern; shy and striking in appearance

Electric Blue Gecko

Tiny dwarf gecko famous for its saturated blue males; rare and threatened in the wild and popular in the pet trade

Panther Chameleon

Colorful chameleon that can display intense blue hues depending on locale, mood and breeding condition

Parson’s Chameleon

One of the largest chameleons; some populations display striking blue-green coloration and impressive size

Jackson’s Chameleon

Three-horned chameleon with variable coloration, including vivid blues in some males used in displays

Blue Anole

Rare island anole notable for its almost entirely blue coloration, unusual among anoles

Allison’s Anole (Cuban Blue Anole)

Colorful tree-dwelling anole often seen on tree trunks; males display vivid blue during social interactions

Eastern Indigo Snake

The largest native U.S. snake; scales often reflect a deep blue shimmer when caught by light

Blue Coral Snake

Striking and highly venomous coral snake with an unusually glossy blue body and bold contrasting colors

Blue-banded Sea Krait

Sea krait that forages on reefs and returns to land; notable for bold blue banding and amphibious habits

Blue-tongued Skink

Robust, slow-moving skink whose startling blue tongue warns predators and startles observers

Indonesian Blue-tongued Skink

One of the largest blue-tongued skinks with powerful body and characteristic blue tongue

Common Five-lined Skink (juvenile)

Small skink whose vivid blue tail in young redirects predator attacks toward the tail which can be shed

Western Skink (juvenile)

Active little skink whose blue-tailed juveniles are common in gardens and natural areas

Broad-headed Skink (juvenile)

Large eastern skink species whose juveniles use blue tails as a defensive lure

Eastern Fence Lizard

Common sun-loving lizard often seen on logs and rocks; blue belly used in territorial and mating displays

Western Fence Lizard

Frequently called the “blue-belly” lizard; common across many western landscapes and easy to spot basking

Desert Spiny Lizard

Large spiny lizard with striking blue highlights on males used in courtship and territory defense

Collared Lizard

Active, fast-moving lizard that can run bipedally; males exhibit brilliant blue breeding colors

Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama

Striking “Spider-Man” agama in which territory-holding males display intense blue during mating season

Common Agama (blue-headed males)

Widespread agama where breeding males develop vivid blue on the head and upper body

Tokay Gecko

Large nocturnal gecko famous for its loud calls and showy bluish skin with bright spots

Standing’s Day Gecko

One of the larger day geckos; shows attractive blue highlights used in species recognition

Klemmer’s Day Gecko

Tiny colorful day gecko often found in banana trees; prized for bright blue tones

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Active diurnal gecko that frequently colonizes human areas; blue highlights are conspicuous

Mauritius Day Gecko

Common island day gecko with bold blue facial markings contrasting its green body

Blue-headed Tree Agama

Arboreal agama where males show conspicuous blue during courtship and territorial displays

Blue Racer (snake)

A fast, diurnal racer snake known locally as the blue racer for its slate-blue appearance and agility

Veiled Chameleon

Familiar chameleon species that can display blues among other colors; commonly kept as a pet species