pointed noses and large conspicuous dewlaps, which
males distend during courtship. They are skilled tree
climbers and are often seen facing downward on a tree
trunk with the neck stretched out horizontally. They
are also common on foliage. Small arthropods make
up their diet.
Basilisk lizards (Basiliscus spp.; plate 16- 79) are
commonly called “Jesus Christ lizards” because of
their ability to scurry at high speed (not walk!) across
water. With long toes on the hind feet, lined with skin
flaps, these odd lizards run full tilt on their hind legs
across small streams and puddles. They look even
more like dinosaurs than iguanas do because they are
adorned with elongate spiny fins on the back and tail.
They feed on invertebrates, vertebrates, and various
fruits and flowers. Basilisks are found primarily in
Central America and are common and easily seen. The
Helmeted Iguana (Corytophanes cristatus; plate 16- 80),
also called the Helmeted Basilisk, may be mistaken for
a basilisk.
Ctenosaurs (genus Ctenosaura; plate 16- 81), or
black iguanas, are among the larger iguanid lizards.
Ctenosaurs closely resemble iguanas but have more of a
banded pattern (though they can change pigmentation
easily, and pattern varies widely from animal to animal:
some are dark, some light), and they tend to frequent
drier areas such as open fields, farmyards, savannas,
roadside edges, and coastal areas. They are adept
burrowers and skilled tree climbers. As with iguanas,
larger ctenosaurs concentrate on vegetable food,Plate 16- 77. This Green Tree Anole (Norops biporcatus) has
changed color from green to mottled brown, a characteristic
behavior of the species that indicates it is likely stressed.
Photo by Dennis Paulson.Plate 16- 78. The Slender Anole (Norops limifrons) is one of
the most abundant and frequently encountered of the anole
lizards. Another, similar species, also called Slender Anole (N.
fuscoauratus), occurs widely in South American humid forests.
Photo by Dennis Paulson.Plate 16- 79. Green Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons). Photo by
Steve Bird.chapter 16 from monkeys to tarantulas: endless eccentricities 353