The common basilisk is a lizard found in Central and South American rain-forests and is known for its ability to run on water. What is its appropriate nickname?
"Basiliscus (genus) Basiliscus is a genus of large corytophanid lizards, commonly known as basilisks, which are endemic to southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. The genus contains four species, which are commonly known as the Jesus Christ lizard, or simply the Jesus lizard, due to their ability to run across water for significant distances before sinking. Both the generic name, ""Basiliscus"", and the common name, ""basilisk"", derive from the Greek ""basilískos"" (βασιλίσκος) meaning ""little king"". The specific epithet, ""vittatus"", which is Latin for ""striped"", was given in Carl Linnaeus' 10th edition of ""Systema Naturae"". Basilisks on average measure"
"in total length (including tail). Their growth is perpetual, fast when they are young and nonlinear for mature basilisks. Their long crest-like sails, reinforced in three distinct points (head, back, and tail), confer the impression of creatures such as ""Dimetrodon"" and ""Edaphosaurus"". Their skin is shed in pieces. Basilisks sometimes run bipedally. Basilisks have the ability to ""run"" on water, and because of this, they have been dubbed the ""Jesus Christ lizard"" in reference to the biblical passage of Matthew 14:22-34. On water, basilisks can run at a velocity of per second for approximately before sinking on all fours and"
"and must therefore exert additional motion in a direction parallel to the water's surface in order to remain above it. A creature such as the basilisk lizard, often dubbed the 'Jesus lizard', has a weight which is larger than the surface tension can support, and is widely known for running across the surface of water. Another example, the western grebe, performs a mating ritual that includes running across the surface of water. Surface living animals such as the water strider typically have hydrophobic feet covered in small hairs that prevent the feet from breaking the surface and becoming wet. Another"
"made up of parts of a rooster, snake, and lion that could turn a man to stone by its gaze: the basilisk. This name derives from the Greek ""basilískos"" (βασιλίσκος) meaning ""little king"". This generic name was given in Carl Linnaeus' 10th edition of ""Systema Naturae"". Smaller brown basilisks can run about on the water without sinking. Young brown basilisks can usually run farther than older ones. If the animal faces danger, it starts to run very fast on the surface of a river or a lake. Then the flaps on its hind feet are opened and thus more surface"
"swimming. Flaps between their toes help support basilisks, creating a larger surface and pockets of air, giving them the buoyancy needed to run across water. They can also sustain themselves on all fours while ""water-walking"" to increase the distance travelled above the surface by about . A similar behavior, running bipedally across water, is known from the sailfin lizards and a few species of anole lizards. Basilisks and sailfin lizards share the specialized toe fringes, which however are lacking in the anoles. Basilisks can burrow into sand to hide from predators; a ring of muscles around both nostrils prevents sand"
"Common collared lizard The common collared lizard (""Crotaphytus collaris""), also called eastern collared lizard, Oklahoma collared lizard or collared lizard, is a North American lizard that can reach in length (including the tail), with a large head and powerful jaws. They are well known for the ability to run on their hind legs, looking like small versions of the popular images of theropod dinosaurs. Chiefly found in dry, open regions of Mexico and the south-central United States including Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and Kansas, the full extent of its habitat in the United States ranges from the Ozark Mountains to southern"
"Philippine sailfin lizard The Philippine sailfin lizard, crested lizard, sail-fin lizard, sailfin water lizard, soa-soa water lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus) or its native name ""ibid"" is an oviparous lizard living only in the Philippines. The Philippine sailfin lizard is an excellent swimmer and has flattened toes that enable it to run across water, similar to the basilisks. It is omnivorous, feeding on fruit, leaves, flowers, insects, and small animals . Males have a larger crest on their back than the females. The males also show a violet color as they grow older. Females are less colorful. The adults may reach up"
"Hydrosaurus Hydrosaurus, commonly known as the sailfin lizards, is a genus in the family Agamidae. These relatively large lizards are named after the sail-like structure on their tails. They are native to the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where they are generally found near water, such as rivers and mangrove. Sailfin lizards are semiaquatic and able to run short distances across water using both their feet and tail for support, similar to the basilisks. They are threatened by both habitat loss and overcollection for the wild animal trade. They are the only members of the subfamily Hydrosaurinae. There are"
"Rica, this basilisk can be found as high as in some places. The species ranges from southwestern Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia on the Pacific side, and from central Panamá to northwestern Venezuela on the Atlantic side. In Costa Rica, it is mostly found on the Pacific side of the country. The equivalent species on the Atlantic side is the green basilisk (""Basiliscus plumifrons""), which occupies similar habitats and has similar biology. ""B. basiliscus"" is an omnivore; its diet consists of insects, for example, beetles or dragon flies; flowers, and small vertebrates such as snakes, birds, eggs, and fish. The common"
"Southern alligator lizard The southern alligator lizard (""Elgaria multicarinata"") is a common species of lizard native to the Pacific coast of North America. It ranges from Baja California to the state of Washington and lives in a variety of habitats including grasslands, chaparral, forests, and even urban areas. In dry climates, it is likely to be found in moist areas or near streams. The generic name ""Elgaria"" is possibly named for an ""Elgar"" or a pun on ""alligator."" The specific name ""multicarinata"" refers to the keeled scales characteristic of this species. The common name ""alligator lizard"" is a reference to"
"mountainous regions, mostly between above sea level, but it is also found along the coast, sunbathing near small streams. When frightened, the lizards sometimes try to escape in the water; they are good swimmers. Their diets consist of insects and other small invertebrates. Peculiar to this lizard, it jumps off the ground often to catch flying insects. Most other Lacertidae cannot make high jumps to catch their prey. This rare species is protected by CITES. Bedriaga's rock lizard Bedriaga's rock lizard (""Archaeolacerta bedriagae"") is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is monotypic within the genus Archaeolacerta."
"Common side-blotched lizard The common side-blotched lizard (""Uta stansburiana"") is a species of side-blotched lizard native to dry regions of western United States and northern Mexico. It is notable for having a unique form of polymorphism wherein each of the three different male morphs utilizes a different strategy in acquiring mates. The three morphs compete against each other following a pattern of rock, paper, scissors, where one morph has advantages over another but is outcompeted by the third. The specific epithet ""stansburiana"" is in honor of Captain Howard Stansbury of the US Corps of Topographical Engineers, who collected the first"
"Chalcides bedriagai Chalcides bedriagai, commonly known as Bedriaga's skink, is a species of lizard endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. It usually lives in sandy areas with sparse vegetation and good ground cover. It can also live in open woodland and burrow into loose soil. Females of the species give birth to live young. It has at least one major subspecies, ""Chalcides bedriagai pistaciae"". These skinks are active during day and dusk, and they are very timid. They reach about in total length and have five fingers on each foot. They prey on insects, spiders, slugs and woodlice. Both the specific"
"Lamia (Basque mythology) The lamia (plural: lamiak) is a siren- or nereid-like creature in Basque mythology. ""Lamiak"", ""laminak"" or ""amilamiak"" live in the river. They are very beautiful, and stay at the shore combing their long hair with a golden comb; they easily charm men. They have duck feet. In coastal areas, some believed that there were ""itsaslamiak"" in the sea, who had fish tails—a kind of mermaid. Lamiak help those who give them presents by providing them with help at work; if a farmer left them food at the river shore, they would eat it at night and in"
"in Venezuela and Colombia. The saddle cichlid is a habitat generalist which shows a preference for slow-moving or still water with complex substrates consisting of submerged tree roots, branches, leaf litter and other objects. During periods of high water this species moves into flooded forests and this results in its occurrence in flood plain lakes and oxbows. It is most commonly observed in the quieter tributaries instead of the main river channels and has also been recorded at localities with a dense growth of aquatic plants. The water in the rivers in which it occurs can vary from clear through"
"MD, Klingel supervised the wooden construction of a replica of SPRAY, the rotund sloop (eventually rerigged a yawl) in which Joshua Slocum became the first man to sail solo around the world in 1898. Klingel christened his 37' yawl BASILISK (after the common basilisk lizard that can run on the surface of water), and with the support of the American Museum of Natural History, it was fitted out as a biological laboratory, to be used for an expedition to gather information on rare species in the West Indies, especially lizards. Klingel had organized an earlier research trip to Haiti to"
"The ground skink is a fossorial species, spending the majority of its time buried in leaf litter on the forest floor. Unlike other skinks, it seldom climbs trees. Its usual means of locomotion is to wriggle through the leaf litter with undulating movements. It may dive under water when pursued, although normally avoids wet areas. It is largely diurnal, but may be active at night as well. It hibernates during the coldest months, but may be active in almost any month of the year in North Carolina (Palmer et al. 1995). As befits a tiny lizard, the home range of"
"front legs while facing the attacker so that its anal glands, capable of spraying an offensive oil, face its attacker. Bipedalism is unknown among the amphibians. Among the non-archosaur reptiles bipedalism is rare, but it is found in the 'reared-up' running of lizards such as agamids and monitor lizards. Many reptile species will also temporarily adopt bipedalism while fighting. One genus of basilisk lizard can run bipedally across the surface of water for some distance. Among arthropods, cockroaches are known to move bipedally at high speeds. Bipedalism is rarely found outside terrestrial animals, though at least two types of octopus"
"Plica plica Plica plica is a species of lizard in the family Tropiduridae, the Neotropical ground lizards. Its common names include collared tree lizard, collared tree runner, and harlequin racerunner. In Guyana it is known as wakanama. ""Plica plica"" is native to South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. It can also be found in the Caribbean, on Trinidad. It was long ago collected in Grenada, but these specimens were likely waifs. ""Plica plica"" is diurnal, active during the day, and arboreal, living most of its life adhered to the sides of tree trunks."
"Dracaena (lizard) The genus Dracaena (romanized form of the Ancient Greek δράκαινα - ""drakaina"", ""female dragon""), also called caiman lizards or water tegu, is in the teiid family, along with tegus and ameivas. Caiman lizards are found in South America in Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Brazil. These semiaquatic lizards spend a lot of time in the water and inhabit marshes, streams and flooded forests. Caiman lizards often bask on branches overhanging the water. Listed alphabetically. The caiman lizard is built similarly to its cousin the tegu, with a large heavy set body and short but powerful limbs. Its head"
"Gerris lacustris Gerris lacustris, commonly known as the common pond skater or common water strider, is a species of water strider, found across Europe. Water striders vary in length ranging between and in size. Their body shape is very slender and elongated. They have six legs; the first pair is short and stubby while the other two pairs are thin and elongated which are used for moving over the water surface which we call ""walking on water"". The first pair of legs is used for holding its prey, the middle pair propels the bug along the surface of the water"
"water from any part of its body by simply touching water, usually with their limbs; via the capillary principle water is transported to the mouth through their skin. The names given to this lizard reflect its appearance: the two large horned scales on its head complete the illusion of a dragon. The name Moloch was used for a deity of the ancient Near East. The thorny dragon also has other nicknames people have given it such as the ""devil lizard"", ""thorny devil"", ""horned lizard"", and the ""thorny toad"". The thorny dragon was first described in writing by the biologist John"
"species to which the name ""H. celebensis"" is available. Sailfin lizards are semiaquatic and able to run short distances across water using both their feet and tail for support, similar to the basilisks. Hydrosaurus amboinensis The Amboina sail-finned lizard or Amboina sailfin lizard (""Hydrosaurus amboinensis"") is the largest agamid lizard in the world, growing to over one metre in length. It is found in wooded habitats near water in New Guinea (both Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea, Indonesia) and Ambon/Amboina Island (Indonesia). Although it has been reported from the Philippines and Sulawesi, a genetic study has shown that"
"smaller than itself. Based on its skeletal morphology it can be ascertained that ""Podokesaurus"" was bipedal and, contrary to early illustrations, ran with its tail extended and off the ground. It has been estimated that ""Podokesaurus"" could run at 14 – 19 km/h (9 - 12 mph), hence the name ""swift-footed lizard"". Podokesaurus Podokesaurus (""swift-footed lizard"") was a small carnivorous dinosaur that living during the Pliensbachian–Toarcian stages of the Early Jurassic Period, and as such is one of the earliest known dinosaurs to inhabit the eastern United States. The generic name ""Podokesaurus"" is derived from Greek word ""podōkēs"" (ποδώκης) meaning"
"the late Pliocene in Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. Water opossum The water opossum (""Chironectes minimus""), also locally known as the yapok (), is a marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is the only living member of its genus, Chironectes. This semiaquatic creature is found in and near the freshwater streams and lakes in Mexico, Central, South America to Argentina and is the most aquatic living marsupial (the lutrine opossum also has aquatic habits). It is also the only living marsupial in which both sexes have a pouch. The thylacine, commonly referred to as the Tasmanian tiger, also exhibited this trait,"
"in trees. Despite their skinny legs, they are very good jumpers and climbers. In Belize, there are 2 species of crocodilians that roam around the waters, the American Crocodile and Morelet's Crocodile. Although both of these species are not particularly aggressive, they are found as a danger to humans. The American Crocodile can grow up to 6.4 m (21 ft), on average being about 4 m (13 ft). They are usually found in the swamps and lowlands of Belize. Morelet's Crocodile, which is smaller than the American can grown up to 4 m (13 ft) but the average size is"
"area is provided for it to run on water. ""Basiliscus vittatus"" is in the same infraorder as the family Iguanidae. Like most reptiles, the brown basilisk is active during the day. Its outstanding camouflage allows it to remain motionless and very hard to detect. The maximum lifespan of the brown basilisk is probably around 7–8 years. In the wild, most die much sooner. Female brown basilisks lay about 2–18 eggs, five to eight times a year. Eggs hatch after about three months and the babies weigh about . Brown basilisk The brown basilisk (""Basiliscus vittatus""), also commonly referred to as"
"from entering the nose. Basilisks are abundant in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Ecuador and Venezuela. The species ""Basiliscus vittatus"" (brown basilisk) has been introduced to Florida. It has adapted to the colder winters by burrowing into leaf litter for warmth. Current reports sight the brown basilisk as far north as Fort Pierce, on the state's East Coast, where small groups have crept up the North Fork of the Saint Lucie River. Mainly it has been seen in Boca Raton and other cities in Palm Beach County. Genus ""Basiliscus"" Basiliscus (genus) Basiliscus"
"water rushed out of him to replenish the lakes, swamps and rivers. The legend of Tiddalik is not only an important story of the Dreamtime, but has been the subject of popular modern children's books. In some Aboriginal cultures, Tiddalik is known as ""Molok"". The story has been said to describe the Water-holding Frog (""Litoria platycephala""), from central Australia. The frogs burrow under ground during dry periods, and emerge during the rain to absorb large amounts of water, breed and feed. This allows it to avoid desiccation during drought, a trait not exhibited by most frogs. They were used by"
"California. The collared lizard is the state reptile of Oklahoma, where it is known as the mountain boomer. The name ""collared lizard"" comes from the lizard's distinct coloration, which includes bands of black around the neck and shoulders that look like a collar. It is a member of the collared lizard family. Like many other lizards, including the frilled lizard and basilisk, collared lizards can run on their hind legs, and are relatively fast sprinters. Record speeds have been around , much slower than the world record for lizards () attained by the larger-bodied Costa Rican spiny-tailed iguana, ""Ctenosaura similis""."
"and small animals. ""C. similis"" and ""C. quinquecarinata"" are popular as pets. At least two species, ""Ctenosaura pectinata"" and ""Ctenosaura similis"", have been introduced into southern areas of Texas and Florida. The world record sprint speed for lizards (21.5 miles/h or 34.6 km/h) was attained by the Costa Rican spiny-tailed iguana, hence the nickname ""Iguana"" from the jungle guard Andrés Pmorado (""Ctenosaura similis""). The genus ""Ctenosaura"" represents the most diverse group of iguanas with 13 currently recognized species and at least two unrecognized species. These species inhabit lowland dry forests, below elevation, on both coasts of Mexico and Central America."
"a mean SVL of , while another found a mean SVL of . This lizard lives mainly in open habitat types, especially restinga, part of the Atlantic Forest biome. It may occupy disturbed and degraded restinga. It is also known from the Abrolhos Archipelago, indicating that it can colonize offshore islands. It lives in the Cerrado. It may be found in residential areas, where it is adept at climbing the walls of houses. It is mostly ground-dwelling, living in termite nests and on or under rocks and logs. It is associated with many other animals, including giant ameiva, coati, brown"
"paleoenvironment of the Messel Pit during the Eocene, which was a dense forest. Living members of the genus ""Basiliscus"" are well known for their ability to sprint across the surface of water. ""Geiseltaliellus"" likely did not have this ability because it lacked the enlarged scales on the undersides of the feet of ""Basiliscus"", which give it greater surface area. ""Geiseltaliellus"" belongs to Pleurodonta, one of the two major clades or evolutionary groupings within the larger group Iguania. The other clade is called Acrodonta. Today Pleurodonta and Acrodonta have a nearly disjunct distribution - Pleurodonta is mostly restricted to the New"