Ratings of Eye Darkness Based on Adult Eye Colors:
1.00 BLACK
.75 BROWN, umber
.50 RED, gray, hazel, chestnut, sienna, russet
.25 ORANGE, pink, blue, green, bronze, brassy, copper, buff, tawny, olive, raw umber
.00 YELLOW, white, amber, silver, gold, pearl, cream
Rules for scoring eye darkness for species:
1. Each species is scored according to the lightest iris color reported. (It makes no difference if the color is used as a noun or an adjective; for example, “reddish brown” is scored as .50.)
2. If the lightest color reported is preceded by “dark,” it is scored one category higher (e.g., “dark brown” is scored as 1.00); if the lightest color reported is preceded by “light” or “pale,” it is scored one category lower (e.g., “light brown” is scored as .50).
Exceptions: (1) If the lightest eye color reported is in the .75 category, but the colors reported for the species also include “black,” the species is scored as 1.00. For example, “brown, dark brown” is scored as .75, but “brown, black” is scored as 1.00; (2) “bluish black” is scored as 1.00.
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Average Eye Darkness [A.E.D.] : Ratings for all species are aggregated and averaged for each family, order, and class.
CLASS: REPTILES (342 species) [A.E.D. = .204]
ORDER: Chelonia (20 species) [A.E.D. = .150]
(Turtles)
FAMILY: Pelomedusidae (1 species)
(Greaved Turtles) Rating Eye Colors
Pelomedusa subrufa, Helmeted turtle .00 silver, chocolate
FAMILY: Chelonidae (2 species) [A.E.D. = .250]
(Marine Turtles) Rating Eye Colors
Caretta caretta, Loggerhead .50 dusky gray
C. mydas, Green turtle .00 golden
FAMILY: Chelydridae (2 species) [A.E.D. = .000]
(Snapping Turtles) Rating Eye Colors
Chelydra serpentina, Snapping turtle .00 yellow, gray
Macroclemys temmincki, Alligator snapping turtle .00 golden
FAMILY: Emydidae (9 species) [A.E.D. = .167]
(Semiaquatic Pond & Marsh Turtles) Rating Eye Colors
Chrysemys picta, Painted turtle .25 green, brown
Clemmys caspica, Caspian terrapin .25 green, brown
C. guttata, Spotted turtle .00 silver, orange, red, brown
C. insculta, Wood turtle .00 silver, brown
Cyclemysdhor, Oldham’s terrapin .00 yellow, green, brown
Emys orbicularis, European pond turtle .00 silver
Malaclemys terrapin, Diamondback 1.00 black
Terrapene carolina, Eastern box turtle .00 golden, red, gray
T. ornata, Ornate box turtle .00 yellow-brown, red
FAMILY: Kinosternidae (1 species)
(Mud, Musk Turtles) Rating Eye Colors
Sternotherus odoratus, Common musk turtle .00 yellow, dark hazel
class=Section6>
FAMILY: Testudinidae (3 species) [A.E.D. = .333]
(Land Tortoises) Rating Eye Colors
Gopherus agassizii, Desert tortoise .00 greenish-yellow
G. berlandieri, Texas tortoise .00 greenish-yellow
G. polyphemus, Gopher tortoise 1.00 dark brown
FAMILY: Trionychidae (2 species) [A.E.D. = .000]
(Softshell Turtles) Rating Eye Colors
Trionyx ferox, Florida softshell .00 pale lemon color
T. muticus, Smooth softshell .00 pale lemon, dusky
ORDER: Crocodelia (19 species) [A.E.D. = .118]
(Crocodiles, Alligators)
FAMILY: Alligatoridae (6 species) [A.E.D. = .250]
(Alligators, Caimans) Rating Eye Colors
Alligator mississippiensis, American alligator .00 lemon, dark brown, silvery buff
Caiman crocodilus, Spectacled caiman .00 silver, buff, greenish
C. latirostriro, Broad-nosed caiman .25 greenish
Melanosuchur niger, Black caiman .25 greenish
Paleosucur palpebrosus, Dwarf caiman .50 chestnut brown
P. trigonatus, Smooth-fronted caiman .50 chestnut brown, brown
FAMILY: Crocodilidae (13 species) [A.E.D. = .058]
(Crocodiles) Rating Eye Colors
Crocodylus intermedius, Orinoco crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. acutus, American crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. catphractus, Narrow-snouted crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. moreletii, Morelet’s crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. johnsoni, Australian crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. novaeguineae, New Guinean crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. palustris, Mugger .00 yelllow-green
C. porosus, Saltwater crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. niloticus, Nile crocodile .00 yellow-green
C. rhombifer, Cuban crocodile .75 brown
C. siamensis, Siamese crocodile .00 yellow-green
Osteolaemus tetrapis, Dwarf crocodile .00 canary yellow, brown
Tomistoma schlegeli, False gavial .00 yellowish brown, buff, silver, fawn
ORDER: Squamata (302 species) [A.E.D. = .215]
(Lizards, Snakes)
FAMILY: Agamidae (4 species) [A.E.D. = .062]
(Chisel-teeth Lizards) Rating Eye Colors
Agama agama, Agama lizard .00 gold, red, brown
class=Section7>
Amphibolurus barbatus, Bearded lizard .00 pale buff
Lophura auboinensis, Fintailed lizard .25 orange, green
Physignathus cochinchin, Cochin china water lizard .00 white
FAMILY: Chamaeleontidae (1 species)
(Chameleons) Rating Eye Colors
Chamaeleon dilpis, Flap-necked chameleon .00 gold, silver
FAMILY: Iguanidae (52 species) [A.E.D. = .255]
(Iguanas) Rating Eye Colors
Anolis ahli, .25 blue
A. alumina, .25 blue
A. alutaceus, .25 blue
A. anfiloquioi, .75 brown
A. carolinensis, American chameleon .00 burnished gold, silver, russet, dark brown
A. centralis, .25 clear greenish
A. christophei, .25 blue
A. chrysolepis .00 golden, brown
A. clivicola, .25 sky blue
A. concolor, .00 yellow, brown
A. cristatellus, Crested anole 1.00 dark brown
A. cupeyalensis, .25 greenish
A. cuvieri, .25 brassy, hazel
A. cyanopleurus, .25 greenish
A. darlingtoni, .00 gold, coppery, brown
A. etheridgei, .25 blue
A. evermanni, .25 blue
A. fowleri, .25 blue, green
A. fugitivus, .25 bluish green
A. fuscoauratus, .00 golden brown
A. homolechis, .00 gold, green, brown
A. inexpectatus, .25 blue
A. juangundlachi, .25 blue
A. jubar, .25 green, dark brown
A. koopmani, .25 blue
A. krugi, .00 silver, dark brown
A. luciae, .00 turquoise, blue, blackish-brown
A. lucius, .75 brown
A. mestrei, .00 yellowish
A. ortonii, .00 golden
A. pumilus, .25 green
A. punctalis, .25 orange-brown
A. rimarum, .00 pale blue
A. rubribarbus, .25 blue, gray
A. rupinae, .00 turquoise
A. semilineatus, .25 steel blue
A. stratulus, 1.00 dark brown
A. vanidicus, .00 pale green
A. vermiculatus, .25 blue
Basiliscus plumifrons, Plumed basilisk .00 yellow, green, brown
Chamaeleolis barbatus, .75 dark chestnut
C. porcus, .75 very dark chestnut
Crotaphytus collaris, Collared lizard .00 silvery
Ctenosaura multispinis, Mexican black iguana .00 white
Iguana iguana, Green iguana .00 golden, greenish gray, brown
Ophryoesat supercilliosa, Yrpha iguana .00 pale blue, silver
Phrynosoma cornutum, Texas horned lizard .75 dark gray, very dark gray
P. douglassi, Douglas horned lizard 1.00 black
Polychrus marmoratus, .00 golden
Sceloporus undulatus, Eastern fence lizard 1.00 black
Tropidurus torquatus, .00 pale bronze, metallic greenish, black
Uracentron azureum, .00 golden brown
FAMILY: Gekkonidae (39 species) [A.E.D. = .135]
(Geckos) Rating Eye Colors
Coleodactylus amazonicus, .00 golden
Geckko gekko, Tuctoo .00 silver, buff
Gonatodes albogularis, Yellow-headed gecko .75 brown
G. annularis, .00 golden, blue
G. humeralis, .75 brown
Hemidactylus brooki, .00 golden, brown
Heteropholis manukanus, Green day gecko .50 light brown, vermiculate
H. gemmeus, .00 yellowish light brown
Naultinus elegans, .00 golden yellow, pink
Pseudogonatodes guianensis, .25 orange-brown
Sphaerodactylus beattyi, .00 golden
S. callocricus, .50 gray, brown
S. clenchi, .00 yellow, orange
S. copei, .00 silver, gold, green, brown
S. difficilis, .00 yellow, tan, brown
S. elegans, Ashy gecko .00 yellow, golden
S. gaigeae, .00 golden
S. inaguae, .00 pale blue
S. klauberi, .25 orange
S. macrolepis, .00 yellow, blue, green, gray, brown
S. mariguanae, .25 orange, brown
S. microlepis, .25 blue, green, gray
S. monensis, .50 gray, brown
S. nicholsi, .00 golden-orange, brown
S. notatus, Reef gecko .00 yellow, gold, brown
S. ocoae, .00 yellow, golden
S. rhabdotus, .00 gold, gray, brown
S. roosevelti, .00 golden, brown
S. ruibali, .25 light gray, gray
S. sabanus, .00 yellow, brown, black
S. savagei, .00 yellow, golden
S. scaber, .00 white, gray
S. semasiops, .50 gray, brown
S. sputator, .00 gold, orange, bronze
S. townsendi, .00 golden, brown
S. vincenti, .25 blue, green, gray, brown
Thecadactylus rapicauda, .00 golden
Tarantola, Egyptian gekko .00 silver, buff
Pachylactylus bibronii, Bibron’s gekko .25 green
FAMILY: Teiidae (15 species) [A.E.D. = .183]
(Whiptail Lizards) Rating Eye Colors
Alapoglossus angulatus, .25 green
Ameiba exsul, .25 orange, brown
A. pleei, .00 golden
A. polops, .50 gray, brown
Arthrosaura kockii, .00 golden brown
A. reticulata, .00 golden
Callopistes nigropunctatus,Yellow-spotted lizard .00 silvery
Cercosaura ocellata, .00 golden brown
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus, Six-lined racerunner .00 golden
Kentrapyx calcaratus, .00 golden brown, red brown
K. striatus, .50 reddish brown
Leposoma guianense, .50 reddish brown
Neusticurus bicarinatus, .50 reddish brown
N. rudis, .25 orange brown
Tupinambis nigropunctatus, Black-painted teguexin .00 silver, white
FAMILY: Lacertidae (4 species) [A.E.D. = .000]
(Wall, Sand Lizards) Rating Eye Colors
Lacerta lepida, Eyed lizard .00 pale silver
L. muralis, Common wall lizard .00 greenish gold
L. stehleni, Stehlen’s lizard .00 yellow
L. viridis, Great green lizard .00 silver, buff
FAMILY: Scincidae (7 species) [A.E.D. = .179]
(Skinks) Rating Eye Colors
Chalcides oscellatus, Eyed skink .75 brown
Erginia cunninghami, Cunningham’s skink .00 pale creamy-yellow
Eumeces fasciatusi, Five-lined skink .00 golden, gray, brown
Leiolopisma laterale, Worm skink/Ground lizard .50 dusky gray
Tiliqua gigus, Larger skink .00 yellow, red, light brown
T. seincoides, Blue tongued skink .00 yellow, orange, red, light brown
Trachydosaurus rugosus, Stump-tailed lizard .00 pale fawn
FAMILY: Xenosauridae (3 species) [A.E.D. = .333]
(Xenosaurs) Rating Eye Colors
Xenosaurus cataphructus, .00 pale buff
X. cordylus, .25 greenish
X. pseudocordylus, .75 deep chocolate
FAMILY: Anguidae (5 species) [A.E.D. = .150]
(Anguid Lizards) Rating Eye Colors
Anguis fragilis, Slow worm .00 gold
Elgaria kingi, King alligator lizard .25 pink, orange
E. multicarinata, Southern alligator lizard .00 pale yellow
E. panamintina, Panamint alligator lizard .00 pale yellow
Ophisaurus ventralis, Eastern glass lizard .50 gray
class=Section8>
FAMILY: Varanidae (3 species) [A.E.D. = .250]
(Monitor Lizards) Rating Eye Colors
Varanus ailoticus, Nile monitor .75 fluffy brown
V. flavescens, Yellow-headed monitor .00 silver, buff
V. radicollis, Rough-necked monitor .00 silver
FAMILY: Pythonidae (5 species) [A.E.D. = .150]
(Pythons) Rating Eye Colors
Xenopeltis unicolor, Sunbeam python .75 velvety brown
Python spilotus, Diamond python .00 yellow, very dark brown
P. regius, Royal python .00 yellowish green, dark brown
P. reticulatus, Reticulate python .00 silver, brown, black
P. sebae, African python .00 yellow
FAMILY: Boidae (8 species) [A.E.D. = .125]
(Boas) Rating Eye Colors
Charina Bottae, Rubber boa .25 orange-cinnamon
Eryx conicus, Russell’s earth boa .00 gold speckled
E. johni, John’s earth boa .00 ruddy gold
Lichanura roseofusca, Rosy boa .25 flecked olive gray, nigrosin blue, plum purple, black
Constrictor constrictor, Boa constrictor .00 silver, buff, reddish brown, chocolate
C. imperator, Emperor boa .00 silver, buff, russet, chocolate
Boa enydris, Cook’s tree boa .00 silver, brown, chocolate
Sanzinia madagascariensis, Madagascar boa .50 russet, chocolate
FAMILY: Leptotyphlopidae