Common basilisk

Also called the Jesus Christ lizard because of its ability to walk on water

Greg Schechter

These lizards have long toes with fringes of skin that expand in the water, increasing the surface area of their feet, and as they rapidly whip their legs, they slap their feet hard against the water, creating a tiny air pocket that keeps them from sinking and thus run on water.

These lizards are found in rainforest locations around bodies of water, mostly in central and south America. They live a solitary life in the wild and only socialize in the breeding season. Currently, their population seems stable, and they are designated as of Least concern by the IUCN.

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Colombia
2013
Costa Rica
2013
Guyana
2013
Presence Uncertain, Introduced
Nicaragua
2013
Panama
2013
Venezuela
2013

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Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No