Oman is home to 22 recorded snake species that span its varied deserts, rugged mountain ranges, and coastal plains, the majority of which are completely harmless to humans—such as the fast-moving Wadi racer and the sand boa—though a few highly venomous species like the Arabian horned viper, Oman saw-scaled viper, and rare Arabian cobra do inhabit specific regions.
Boidae
Arabian sand boa (Eryx jayakari)
Colubridae
Crowned leaf-nosed snake (Lytorhynchus diadema)
Wadi racer (Platyceps rhodorachis)
Thomas’s banded racer (Platyceps thomasi)
Arabian kukri snake (Rhynchocalamus arabicus)
Clifford’s Diadem Snake (Spalerosophis diadema)
Arabian cat snake (Telescopus dhara)
Leptotyphlopidae
Hooked blind snake (Myriopholis macrorhyncha)
Nurse’s Blind snake (Myriopholis nursii)
Typhlopidae
Brahminy blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus)
Psammophiidae
Schokari sand racer (Psammophis schokari)
Moila snake (Malpolon moilensis)
Atractaspididae
Anderson’s burrowing asp (Atractaspis andersonii)
Elapidae
Arabian cobra (Naja arabica)
Viperidae
Puff adder (Bitis arietans)
Arabian horned viper (Cerastes gasperettii)
Sindh saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus)
Burton’s saw-scaled viper (Echis coloratus)
Khosatzki’s saw-scaled viper (Echis khosatzkii)
Oman saw-scaled viper (Echis omanensis)
Persian horned viper (Pseudocerastes persicus)
