The Brown Basilisk is a species of Basilisk that is native to much of Central America. It can be found from Mexico to parts of Northern Colombia.
These lizards are sometimes referred to as the Striped Basilisk or even just the Common Basilisk in parts of their range.
However, it is worth noting that there is another species of Basilisk that is more widely known as the Common Basilisk so this can cause confusion.
This species can also be found in parts of Florida. However, they are not native to the United States. Populations have been established from pets being released into the wild.
Brown Basilisk Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The family that the Brown Basilisk belongs to is called Corytophanidae. This is a family of lizards that is native to the Americas.
The lizards in this family are sometimes referred to as casquehead lizards or helmeted lizards.
There are three genera and a total of nine different species associated with this family. The other two genera are Corytophanes and Laemanctus.
Species such as the Helmeted Iguana belong to the Corytophanes genus while the Eastern Casquehead Iguana belongs to the Laemanctus genus.
Genus
The genus that the Brown Basilisk belongs to is called Basiliscus. This genus contains a total of four different species.
The other species in this genus include the Green Basilisk, the Common Basilisk and the Western Basilisk.
The lizards in this genus have been dubbed the ‘Jesus Christ’ lizards due to their ability to run on water for a short period of time before sinking.
However, they are not the only lizards to be able to do this with lizards such as the Sailfin Dragon also possessing this ability.
Species
The scientific name for the Brown Basilisk is Basiliscus vittatus and there are currently no recognised sub-species.
The species was first described in 1828 by a German herpetologist named Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann.
Brown Basilisk Description
The Brown Basilisk is a large species of lizard that can grow to between one and two feet in length including their tail.
However, their tail is long and narrow, making up over half of the lizard’s length. The body of these lizards typically only make up around half a foot of their overall length.
As their name suggests, the Brown Basilisk is brown in color. However, some specimens can be more of a dark olive-green coloration.
A distinguishing feature of this lizards is a yellow or cream colored stripe that runs from their eye and down along either side of their back.
Most specimens also have another stripe that runs from their mouth to just passed their shoulders. This stripe is typically much shorter.
They have a Crest on the top of their head which is much more prominent in adult males. This crest doesn’t develop until the lizard matures.
Some specimens also have a visible crest or ‘fin’ running down their back and onto their tail.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Brown Basilisk is native to much of Central America. It can be found from Mexico to parts of Northern Colombia.
In Mexico, they are primarily found on both the Pacific and Atlantic coastal regions of Central and Southern Mexico.
Their range then extends Southwards through most parts of Central America including countries such as Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
Further South they can be found in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and a small part of North-Western Colombia.
These lizards like to live along coastal regions in lowland habitats in areas with thick vegetation and a source of water.
They can also be found in Pine and willow forests, marshes and mangroves.
The Brown Basilisk is known to occupy man-made areas such as canals, parks, ponds and ditches. They are even known to bask on sidewalks, roads and car parks.
This species occupies some of the same geographical range as species such as the Honduran Milk Snake, the Emerald Swift Lizard and the Green Vine Snake.
Brown Basilisk Behaviour
The Brown Basilisk is a diurnal species of lizard meaning they are primarily active during the day and sleep during the night.
In order to stay safe at night, they will usually sleep on branches of trees that are well of the ground. This keeps them away from most predators.
These lizards are often seen out in the open basking in the sun. However, they are very ‘skittish’ and will usually flee if approached.
They will retreat up a tree or into dense vegetation. If there is a source of water nearby, these lizards can even run along the surface for a short period. This is also seen in other lizards such as the Sailfin Dragon.
They will then sink and swim away. This ability is usually enough to escape most predators as it usually puts enough distance between them and the predator, even if the predator is a competent swimmer.
These lizards will usually eat a variety of insects such as flies, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars and butterflies.
These lizards are opportunistic eaters and will feed on a wide variety of other food. They will often eat fruits and are even known to eat other small lizards and snakes.