The plumed basilisk is a fascinating lizard that can be found throughout Central America. They are fairly big lizards and are considered the biggest out of all the types of basilisk lizards. Add in their amazing speed and ability to walk on water, and these lizards couldn’t get any cooler. Keep reading to learn more!
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Quick Facts
Scientific Name: Basiliscus plumifrons
Common Names: Green basilisk, plumed basilisk, double-crested basilisk, and Jesus Christ lizard
Geographic Range: Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
Life Span: Average: 2 – 6 Years
High: 10+ Years
Conservation Status: Least concern
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Top 10 List – Plumed Basilisk
1. Plumed Basilisks Are Sexually Dimorphic
Plumed basilisks are fairly large lizards, and are considered the largest of the basilisks. Their snout to vent length is around 25cm (9.8 inches), which means the tail isn’t included in that length. The tail makes up around 70 – 75% of their body length, and the average total length for these lizards is around 91cm (35.8 inches). Plumed basilisks are sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females differ in appearance. Male plumed basilisks tend to be larger than females. Males also have large sail-like crests, 2 on their head, one on their back, and one on their tail. Females usually only have a smaller head crest.
From the side, their heads are triangular in shape. Their eyes and pupils are both round, with the iris usually being a beautiful yellow color. Some people have reported seeing plumed basilisks with red eyes instead of yellow. Their hind limbs are much longer than the front ones. In order to be able to climb well, their fingers are long and their claws are sharp. Their long tails are strong and help them with their balance.
The coloring of the plumed basilisk is a beautiful bright green color. Their belly is often a paler green than the rest of their body. On their sides, they can have white, grey, or light blue markings. Some populations have black markings on their backs and black stripes on their tails. Juveniles are less brightly colored and lack the crests of adults.
2. The Plumed Basilisk Got Part Of Its Name From A Legendary Reptilian Creature
The plumed basilisk’s Genus Basiliscus was taken from a legendary reptilian creature of European mythology that could turn a man to stone by its gaze: the Basilisk. Furthermore, their name was also derived from the Greek word “basiliskos,” meaning “little king,” in reference to the animal’s crownlike head adornment
Their species name plumifrons is made up of two Latin words, “pluma” which means feather, and “frons” which means forepart. This is in reference to the small feather-like crest in front of the larger main crest.
Their nickname of the “Jesus Christ Lizard” is due to the fact that they are able to walk on water.
3. They Are Excellent At Both Walking On The Water And Swimming In It
Plumed basilisks, along with other basilisks, can use their feet and tail to run short distances on top of the water while standing upright on their two back legs. Their back toes are lined with small, downward-facing scales. These scales increase the surface area of the toe against the water, and it is because of these toe scales that they can “walk” on water. Smaller plumed basilisks can run farther than larger ones and can sprint up to 15m (50 feet) or more across the surface. They can sprint at speeds of over 11.3 km/h (7 mph). The most common reason for them to run like this is when they are frightened, to get away from predators. Among locals, this unique ability of the plumed basilisk has earned the lizard the nickname the “Jesus Christ Lizard”.
Besides being able to walk ON the water, plumed basilisks are also pretty skilled while in the water. These lizards are great swimmers and can stay submerged underwater for anywhere from 10 – 30 minutes!
4. They Are Most Active During The Day
Plumed basilisks are diurnal, meaning they are most active during the daytime, doing things like basking and hunting for food. They are semi-arboreal lizards. They are often found sleeping in trees at night, perched in various trees throughout the day, and hanging on to branches that overhang the water. However, they can also be found on the ground or perched on boulders near the water. They are also semi-aquatic, as they are great swimmers, and can run on water. While they do spend a large portion of time on land, they are usually never too far from the water.
5. Plumed Basilisks Are Sometimes Mistaken For Other Basilisks
Plumed basilisk can sometimes be mistaken for other types of basilisk lizards. The western basilisk can be a bright green color, just like the plumed basilisk. However, their head crests have a different shape to them than plumed basilisks, and they are mostly found in South America, not Central America.
Common basilisks have a similar appearance to plumed basilisks, with the shape of their crests being similar to each other. They are both commonly found in Central America, and both share the nickname Jesus Christ lizard. The main difference is that the common basilisk is brown, and has darker colored eyes than the plumed basilisk.
6. Because Of Their Beautiful Coloring and Crests, Plumed Basilisk Are Often Sought Out As Pets
One look at the gorgeous plumed basilisk and you’ll be able to see why they are popular as pets. Their bright green coloring and gorgeous, large crests make for a beautiful display animal. It is important to note, however, that they aren’t going to be as calm as crested geckos, or as affectionate as bearded dragons. Plumed basilisks tend to be more skittish and easily startled, so keeping handling to a minimum is important.
Care for these guys isn’t overly difficult once you get set up, but getting the proper setup is super important to the health of these guys. Before you go out to buy one of your own it’s important to know that they need large vertical cages with branches for climbing and plants for hiding, high humidity, proper heating, UVB lighting, as well as enough water for them to both drink and sit in, however, giving them enough water to swim in is ideal. If you’re willing to put in the effort to create a large, beautiful home for these guys you’ll be able to spend hours watching these fascinating lizards live their life in the beautiful home you’ve provided for them.
7. These Lizards Are Omnivorous, Eating Both Plant and Animal Matter
Plumed basilisks are considered omnivores, as they eat both animal and plant matter. However, the large majority of their diet is animals, and a smaller amount is made up of plants. The main part of their diet consists of insects, spiders, smaller lizards, small mammals, crawfish, and snails, as well as various flowers and fruits making up a smaller portion.
8. Plumed Basilisks Prefer Areas With Both Water And trees
Plumed basilisks are often found in hot and humid tropical rainforests. Since they are semi-aquatic, they prefer to pick areas that are close to rivers or other waterways such as streams, ponds, and lakes. They are also semi-arboreal, meaning they do spend a chunk of time hanging out in the trees, so areas with abundant trees are popular among plumed basilisks. Their preferred temperature to live in is around 31°C (87.8° F).
9. Baby Plumed Basilisks Are Independent As Soon As They Hatch
The breeding season for the plumed basilisk is usually around the end of spring to early summer. After mating female plumed basilisks will lay anywhere from 5 – 20 eggs in a nest of warm, damp soil or sand that she dug herself. She may also lay up to 5 clutches of eggs in a season. After around 8 – 10 weeks the babies will hatch. They are independent immediately, already able to swim, climb, and run. The average snout-to-vent length (not including the tail) of the babies is only 4.3cm (1.7 inches), and their total length is around 13.5cm (5.3 inches). These tiny little hatchlings only weigh around 2 grams at the time of their hatching. Juvenile males will start to develop their crests anywhere from 6 months old to over 1 year old.
10. Male Plumed Basilisks Are Territorial
Male plumed basilisks are very territorial and become aggressive towards things they see as a threat, like other males. A single male basilisk may keep a territory that he protects, which may contain a large group of female basilisks with whom he mates.
Predators of the plumed basilisk include birds of prey, opossums, coati, and snakes. Young plumed basilisks are at a higher rate of predation than adults, as they are much smaller.
Most plumed basilisks (especially wild-caught) are very skittish. Because of the Plumed Basilisks’ aggressive and territorial nature, when kept in captivity many of them (although not all) do not tolerate or enjoy handling. They must also not be kept in groups with multiple males as they may fight and seriously injure one another.
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