Category: Reptiles
Basilisks are native to Mexico, Central America, and northwestern Columbia. They have been nicknamed “Jesus Christ lizards” due to their ability to sprint quickly over the surface of water when fleeing predators, aided by their webbed feet. They are further distinguishable by their three crests on their head, body, and tail – if you’re lucky enough to spot one of these masters of camouflage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_basilisk
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Lizard-Species/Brown-Basilisk-(Striped-or-Common)/
The Tongue-tastic Chameleon
The Chameleon is known for its ability to change colors, but that is not the only amazing feature they possess. Chameleon tongues are twice the length of their bodies (can you imagine having a 10-12 foot long tongue?) and they use it for hunting! When it sees a tasty bug, the chameleon coils the muscles in its tongue in much the same way a hunter tightens the string on their bow, then the tongue shoots out, striking with incredible speed, sticking to the hapless insect as it is dragged back to the chameleon’s mouth. And believe it or not, smaller chamelons are sometimes even stronger and faster than their larger cousins: the tiny Rhampholeon spinosus’s tongue accelerates at a rate equivalent to your car going from 0-60 miles per hour in 1/100 of a second, and it rarely misses its target!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
