Taxonomy and Etymology
The Common Basilisk is named for the creature of Greek mythology made up of parts of a rooster, snake, and lion which could turn a man to stone by its gaze: the Basilisk. Its generic, specific and common names all derive from the Greek basilískos (βασιλίσκος) meaning "little king". The specific epithet was given in Carolus Linnaeus' 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Nicknamed the “Jesus Christ Lizard,” this extraordinary reptile may run on water when threatened. This spectacle can be readily witnessed; of all large lizards in Costa Rica, this species is the most commonly encountered, especially along streams and lakes. It is more numerous in the dry northwestern region of the country. Adults often bask in daylight near water when they are not foraging or resting. At night they sleep on perches close to the ground or as high as 20 m.
When startled, the Common Basilisk escapes by speeding to the nearest edge of water—and continues sprinting. The lizard runs on only its hind legs in an erect position, holding its arms to its sides. This basilisk is so adroit on water because its feet are large and equipped with flaps of skin along the toes; when moving quickly, the lizard can cross a surface of water before sinking. On water it runs an average speed of 8.4 km/h (or 5.2 mph), which is just a little slower than its speed on land. Younger basilisks can run 10 to 20 meters on water, while adults cross only a few meters before sinking. Adults do not move slowly, but they weigh more and cannot sprint for as long a time. Once a basilisk submerges, it continues swimming until it is sufficiently far from its pursuer—if the predator has followed past the bank. Although this lizard stays close to water to escape terrestrial predators, it swims only when necessary because there are aquatic animals that would be just as happy to eat the basilisk given the chance.
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