Basilisk: a lizard that walks on water

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

The basilisk lizard is unmistakable due to its ability to move funny and run on water. Basilisk (Greek "little king") she is called because of her resemblance to a monster that resembles a rooster, a snake and a lion, which can turn a person to stone with a glance (Greek mythology).

These lizards can run through the water on their hind legs from 1.5 to 4.5 meters before settling down on all fours for swimming. Because of the way the basilisk runs through the water (the photo depicts this process), the reptile is called "Jesus Christ".

Habitat

Basilisks are abundant in the tropical forests of Central America. Their habitats extend from southern Mexico to Panama. Reptiles spend most of their time in trees near water. When lizards are threatened, they jump into the water (upright).

Description

The basilisk belongs to the iguana family. The lizard grows to about 80 cm in length, including the tail, which makes up 70 to 75% of the total body length. The weight of the animal is less than 2 grams at hatching, and an adult weighs more than 500 grams. Females and males are brown to olive in color withwhite, cream or yellow stripe on the upper lip and small stripes on the sides of the body. They are more contrasting in young individuals and disappear as the basilisk matures.

The lizard has long limbs with thumbs and sharp claws. The belly is usually yellow, the mouth is large and has many sawtooth teeth located on the inner sides of the jaw.

On the ground, the lizard can reach speeds of up to 11 km/h. While these strange animals are best known for their ability to run on water, they are also excellent climbers, swimmers, and even divers! Adults can stay underwater for up to half an hour!

In captivity, individuals usually reach the age of 7 years. However, their average lifespan in the wild is thought to be much shorter due to predators (snakes, birds, turtles, possums). Today, these bizarre reptiles are on the verge of extinction, therefore they are under protection.

Behavior

Basilisk lizards are diurnal animals, so they are most active during the day, spending most of their time near water. At night they sleep on the branches. Camouflage to match the color of the leaves is their main defense against predators. By the way, males divide the territory, so the violation of "personal space" entails a conflict.

Food

These reptiles are omnivores. Their diet consists of:

• flowers;
• insects (beetles, ants and dragonflies);
• small vertebrates (snakes, birds and their eggs, andfish).

Reproduction

Females are smaller, weighing around 200 grams. Males are distinguished by high crests on their heads and backs, which they use to impress females.

A female lizard reaches puberty at 20 months of age, while males mature at 16 months of age. However, males cannot actually mate until they have achieved sufficient status in the dominance hierarchy, which may take 3-4 years.

The breeding season can last up to ten months. In January and February, mating is rare in this type of reptile, like the basilisk. The female lizard, being pregnant, prepares a shallow trench, in which she then lays up to 20 eggs. The mother then leaves them and the babies should hatch on their own. On average, this happens after about 88 days. Babies can swim in water from birth.

Walking on water

Most animals that try to walk or run through water drown immediately, as water, unlike solid soil, offers little support or resistance.

In order to understand how the basilisk lizard (the photo is in the article) moves on the surface of the water, work was carried out to observe and fix the run. The pictures give a complete picture of this miracle. With the help of computer programs, the researchers compare adjacent frames of the video, thanks to which it is possible to see how the water balls move, supportingamphibious on the surface. This allows you to calculate the strength of the reptiles and prevent them from drowning.

Basilisks achieve running on water with their long fingers on their hind limbs with fringe. They deploy in the water, increasing the surface area of contact. The principle of such movement can be determined in three stages.

First, the foot slams into the water and pushes off the surface, creating air pockets all around. Next comes the movement of the foot back, and the body of the lizard is pushed forward. At the end, the limb rises up out of the water, popping again, and the cycle continues. The maximum distance traveled depends on the size and weight of the lizard. Juveniles tend to run longer distances (10 to 20 m) than older individuals (up to 4.5 m).

This run is similar to riding a bike, but the moment the pedaling stops, the bike stops, loses balance and falls. The same thing happens when a basilisk (lizard) runs through the water. The reptile stays on the surface only under the condition of continuous footwork.

These South American reptiles remain one of nature's most mysterious creatures.