#1691 · 🦎 reptiles
Common Basilisk
🇳🇱 Helmbasilisk ·Basiliscus basiliscus
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © methlog · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Justin Walker · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 3. © Felipe Barrera Ocampo · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 4. © Felipe Barrera Ocampo · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 5. © Cricket Raspet · CC BY 4.0
- 6. © Leonardo Venegas P · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. © José Carlos Merino Mombach · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. © osoandino · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 9. © Jerry Oldenettel · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- 10. © Brian Gratwicke · CC BY-NC 4.0
what is it?
The common basilisk ( Basiliscus basiliscus ) is a lizard found in Central and South American rainforests near rivers and streams. The basilisk is part of the corytophanid family. It is also known as the South American Jesus lizard , Jesus lizard , Jesus Christ lizard , or lagarto de Jesus Cristo for its ability to run on the surface of water.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
- 10,595 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- Common Basilisk
- Nederlands
- Helmbasilisk
- scientific name
- Basiliscus basiliscus
- class
- Reptilia
- order
- Squamata
- family
- Corytophanidae
- IUCN Red List
- LC · least concern
- sightings in NL
- 0
- sightings worldwide
- 10,595
- GBIF records in NL
- 0
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
IUCN in Dutch: niet bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
relatives· Corytophanidae
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 33121, Wikidata Q651273, GBIF 5221813, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.