Brown basilisk
Encyclopedia
The Brown Basilisk or Striped Basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus; in some areas referred to as "common basilisk") is one species of basilisk lizard
. They are native to Panama
, Belize
, northwestern Colombia
and Costa Rica
, but have been introduced into the U.S. state of Florida
as a feral
species.
Along with the Common Basilisk
they have the nickname "Jesus
Lizard" because when fleeing from a predator, they are very fast and can even run on top of the water.
Basilisks actually have large hind feet with flaps of skin between each toe. The fact that they move quickly across the water, aided by their web-like feet, gives them the appearance of "walking on water
".
Male Brown Basilisks can reach 61 cm in length and females are somewhat smaller. Their three crests are on the head, along the body and along the tail. They usually appear in brown or olive brown with black stripes. The stripes are usually only on the flanks and on the dorsal crest. They also have a white stripe, which extends from the eyes to the rear legs. The males have a larger crest than the females.
name basiliscus is taken from the creature of Greek mythology
made up of parts of a rooster
, snake
, and lion which could turn a man to stone by its gaze: the Basilisk
. This name derives from the Greek
basilískos (βασιλίσκος) meaning "little king". This epithet was given in Carolus Linnaeus
' 10th edition
of Systema Naturae
.
Smaller basilisks can run about 10-20 metres on the water without sinking. Young 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 area is provided for it to run on water.
They are in the same infraorder as the iguanid family.
Like most reptiles, basilisks are active during the day.
They have long toes and sharp claws.
Most are under a foot in length, but some may grow up to two feet.
Basilisks usually weigh between 200-600 grams.
Their maximum lifespan is probably around 7-8 years. In the wild, most die much sooner.
Females lay about 2-18 eggs, five to eight times a year.
Eggs hatch after about three months and the babies weigh about 2 grams.
Their outstanding camouflage allows them to remain motionless and very hard to detect.
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.-Taxonomy and etymology:...
. They are native to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, northwestern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, but have been introduced into the U.S. state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
as a feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
species.
Along with the Common Basilisk
Common Basilisk
The Common Basilisk is a lizard found in Central and South American rainforests near rivers and streams.The basilisk is part of the corytophanid family...
they have the nickname "Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
Lizard" because when fleeing from a predator, they are very fast and can even run on top of the water.
Basilisks actually have large hind feet with flaps of skin between each toe. The fact that they move quickly across the water, aided by their web-like feet, gives them the appearance of "walking on water
Walking on water
Jesus' walks on water, or Jesus walking on water, is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. Accounts of the miracle appear in three Gospels: Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and...
".
Male Brown Basilisks can reach 61 cm in length and females are somewhat smaller. Their three crests are on the head, along the body and along the tail. They usually appear in brown or olive brown with black stripes. The stripes are usually only on the flanks and on the dorsal crest. They also have a white stripe, which extends from the eyes to the rear legs. The males have a larger crest than the females.
Taxonomy and Etymology
The Brown Basilisk's genericGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
name basiliscus is taken from the creature of Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
made up of parts of a rooster
Rooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
, snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
, and lion which could turn a man to stone by its gaze: the Basilisk
Basilisk
In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance...
. This name derives from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
basilískos (βασιλίσκος) meaning "little king". This epithet was given in Carolus Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
' 10th edition
10th edition of Systema Naturae
The 10th edition of Systema Naturae was a book written by Carl Linnaeus and published in two volumes in 1758 and 1759, which marks the starting point of zoological nomenclature...
of Systema Naturae
Systema Naturae
The book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
.
Smaller basilisks can run about 10-20 metres on the water without sinking. Young 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 area is provided for it to run on water.
They are in the same infraorder as the iguanid family.
Like most reptiles, basilisks are active during the day.
They have long toes and sharp claws.
Most are under a foot in length, but some may grow up to two feet.
Basilisks usually weigh between 200-600 grams.
Their maximum lifespan is probably around 7-8 years. In the wild, most die much sooner.
Females lay about 2-18 eggs, five to eight times a year.
Eggs hatch after about three months and the babies weigh about 2 grams.
Their outstanding camouflage allows them to remain motionless and very hard to detect.