Plumed Basilisk:
The plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons), also called a green basilisk, is a species of lizard native to Latin America. Its natural range covers a swath from Mexico to Ecuador.
[edit] Taxonomy and etymology
The Plumed Basilisk's generic 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.[2] This name derives from the Greek basilískos (βασιλίσκος) meaning "little king".[2] This epithet was given in Carolus Linnaeus' 10th edition of Systema Naturae.[2]
[edit] Description
Plumed basilisk males have three crests: one on the head, one on their back, and one on the tail. The females, however, only have one crest, on the head.
Plumed basilisks are omnivorous and eat insects, small mammals (such as rodents), smaller species of lizards, fruits and flowers. Their predators include raptors, opossums and snakes.
[edit] Reproduction
The females of this species lay five to fifteen eggs at a time in warm, damp sand or soil. The eggs hatch after eight to ten weeks, at which point the young emerge as fully independent lizards.
[edit] Behavior
Males are very territorial; a single male may keep land containing a large group of females with whom he mates.
This lizard is able to run short distances across water using both its feet and tail for support, an ability shared with other basilisks and the Malaysian Sail-finned Lizard (Hydrosaurus amboinensis). In Costa Rica, this has earned the plumed basilisk the nickname "Jesus Christ lizard". It is also an excellent swimmer and can stay under water for up to 30 minutes.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
|
