Basilisk (B.plumifrons)

By: Arham.KFessenden

Gr.6

Scientific Classification

• Common name: Green/Plumed BasiliskKingdom: AnimiliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertabrataClass: SouropsidaOrder: SquatmataSuborder: sauria and iguanaFamily: CorytophanidaeGenus: BasilicusSpecies: B.plumifrons

Appearance

Webbed feet

Three crests on its back

Green/Brown scaly skin.

Habitat

• Basilisks live in swamps, forests and near bodies of water located in South and Central America

South America

Central America

Life Cycle

• Females lay 5-15 eggs in warm/damp sand/soil. These eggs hatch in 8-10 weeks into fully independent lizards.

Diet

• Basilisks eat insects, small mammals, smaller lizards, fruits and flowers.

Predators

• The basilisks predators are birds of prey, opossums and snakes

Contribution to the Diversity of life

• Basilisks contribute to the diversity of life by keeping the population of insects, small mammals, and smaller lizards under control.

Human impact on their environment

• Humans are impacting basilisks environments by carelessly polluting their environment

How we can help Basilisks?

• We can help basilisks by keeping swamps, forests and bodies of water clean and free of litter.

Interesting Facts

• The basilisk can run up to 10-20 meters on water!

• They sprint up to 5 feet per second!

References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumed_basilisk

• http://naturescrusaders.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/green-basilisk-lizards-eat-insects-rodents-and-runs-on-water/

• Animal by Dorling Kindersley

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