# Green Basilisk (*Basiliscus plumifrons*)

> The green basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) is a Central American lizard nicknamed the "Jesus Christ lizard" for sprinting across water on hind legs. Crested males are vivid green; adults weigh about 200 g, live along rainforest rivers from Honduras to Panama, and are listed Least Concern.

- **Category:** Reptile
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Rainforests of Central America from Honduras to Costa Rica and Panama.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/green-basilisk/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Reptilia
- **Order:** Squamata
- **Family:** Corytophanidae
- **Genus:** Basiliscus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Basiliscus plumifrons |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Habitat | Riversides and lowland rainforest |
| Lifespan | Around 8 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 0.2 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 12 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Water-running specialist

Fringed toes slap the surface fast enough to keep the lizard atop water for many metres before diving and swimming. Males sport prominent sail-like crests on head and back.

## Riverside omnivore

Diet mixes insects, small vertebrates, flowers, and fruit taken in streamside vegetation and on the ground. Across its range it is tied to riversides and lowland rainforest, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Honduras to Panama waterways

Lowland rainforest riversides from Honduras through Costa Rica and Panama — always near water escape routes. Across its range it is tied to riversides and lowland rainforest, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Pet trade pressure local

Least Concern in the wild, though collection for the pet trade and riverside clearing affect some populations. Captive breeding now supplies many pets.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do basilisks run on water?

Rapid slaps of fringed hind feet create air cavities that briefly support their weight before they sink and swim.

### Why is it called the Jesus Christ lizard?

The nickname refers to the appearance of running across water — that is the usual English name for a young green basilisk.

### Do only green basilisks run on water?

Other Basiliscus species share the trait; the green basilisk is the most famous.

### What do green basilisks eat?

Insects, small animals, flowers, and fruit — an omnivorous riverside diet.

### Where do green basilisks live?

Rainforest rivers from Honduras to Costa Rica and Panama. Native range summary: Rainforests of Central America from Honduras to Costa Rica and Panama.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/green-basilisk/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.