About Basiliscus plumifrons Cope, 1875
Basiliscus plumifrons, commonly called the plumed basilisk or green crested basilisk, is the largest species in the Basilisk genus. Adults have an average snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 10 inches (25 cm), and reach a total length of 3 feet (91 cm) when including the tail. Most adult individuals are bright green with bright yellow irises, small bluish spots along the dorsal ridge, and underbellies that are a lighter green than the rest of the body. Some alternative forms or subspecies have only black markings along the dorsal side, while others may have varying streaks of white, dark grey, and blue markings across the body. In profile, the head is triangular, with ear openings that are slightly larger than the eyes. The species has round eyes with round pupils, and its skin is covered primarily in small granular scales. The hind legs are longer than the front limbs, and the toes are flattened and laterally oriented; both adaptations help the lizard run across water. Males have either three or four prominent crests: sources describe either one on the head, one on the back, and one on the tail, or one atop the head crown, one between the eyes, one dorsal, and one on the tail. Females have reduced crests, with either only the head crest, or a reduced head crest and reduced tail crest; juvenile plumed basilisks share the female crest pattern and have less conspicuous coloration, and lack fully developed characteristic crests. Juvenile males begin developing their characteristic large crests between six months and over one year after hatching, depending on the juvenile's body condition. The plumed basilisk is native to Central America and northern South America. Its native range originally was noted as rainforests near running streams in southern Mexico and northern Colombia, but evidence confirms it occupies the Atlantic versant from eastern Honduras to western Panama, and has also been sighted along the Pacific coast of southwestern Costa Rica. It prefers hot, humid, moist lowland mature wet forests located near running streams, and requires agroforestry systems with integrated tree cover for species preservation. Widespread and abundant in Central America, this arboreal, diurnal species is also aquatic, found commonly in inland rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes, as well as on beaches and seashores. It is most often found in trees or perched on boulders near bodies of water. It prefers a body temperature of 31.7 ± 0.5 °C (89.1 ± 0.9 °F). During the week before egg-laying, sexually mature females approach males and display by positioning themselves roughly 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) from the male, lowering their forebody to the ground, and raising their pelvic region and tail. Females become visibly plump one to two weeks after fertilization. In the third week after fertilization, they begin searching for a nesting site. One captive female was observed digging nesting holes in soil six months before ovipositing, well ahead of the breeding season. Females typically lay between 5 and 17 eggs per clutch in warm, damp sand or soil. Clutch size and egg size vary based on the mother's age, health, and size. Females can lay up to four or five clutches in a single breeding season. Eggs incubate for eight to ten weeks, and hatching occurs over one to two days. Hatchlings are fully independent immediately after emerging, with an average SVL of 43 mm (1.7 in) and an average weight of roughly 2 grams (0.071 oz).
