Brown Basilisk

Striped Basilisk
Basilicus vittatus
Size: Snout to vent= 6 in, Total length= 2 ft. Females are smaller than males
Sex: Male (prominent crest)
Natural Habitat: Mainland and coastal areas of Central America (near water bodies)

Brown basilisks are unique lizards found throughout the tropics of Central America and due to the pet trade they have even established populations in Florida. These lizards are omnivorous eating a variety of things such as insects, berries, other invertebrates, baby mice and even small fish. This species is aboral spending most of its time in trees but is also heavily dependent on heat sources and more importantly a large body of water as this species is also highly aquatic. Basilisks are perhaps most famously known as "Jesus Christ lizards" as they have the ability to run along the water's surface for an extended period of time. This is made possible by their toe scales on their hind limbs as they are wedge shaped to better distribute weight and better prevent breaking the water tension. This unique ability helps the species to avoid many potential predators. I saw this particular species in Costa Rica near a river bank. This was truly a remarkable experience for me to see these amazing reptiles and their unique ability to run on water as these are some of the most remarkable lizards in the world when seen in the wild.