Lizards by Animal Town Website
Photograph by Joe McDonald/Animals Animals - Earth Science
National Geographic website: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/green-basilisk-lizard/
Type: Reptile
Diet: Omnivore
Average life span in captivity: Up to 10 years
Size: 2 to 2.5 ft (61 to 76 cm) including the tail
Weight: Up to 7 oz (200 g)
Did you know? Basilisk lizards are excellent swimmers and are capable of remaining underwater for up to 30 minutes.
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
The green basilisk lizard is also called a plumed or double-crested basilisk; but its amazing ability to run on water gives this species its most recognizable moniker: the Jesus Christ lizard.
Abundant in the tropical rain forests of Central America, from southern Mexico to Panama, green basilisks spend much of their time in the trees and are never far from a body of water. When threatened, they can drop from a tree into the water and sprint, upright, about 5 feet (1.5 meters) per second across the surface.
To accomplish this, they have long toes on their rear feet with fringes of skin that unfurl in the water, increasing surface area. As they rapidly churn their legs, they slap their splayed feet hard against the water, creating a tiny air pocket that keeps from sinking, provided they maintain their speed.
National Geographic Website: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/green-basilisk-lizard/
