Malaysian Sail-finned Lizard

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Hydrosaurus amboinensis
Head of a hydrosaurus amboinensis at the Houston Zoo
Head of a hydrosaurus amboinensis at the Houston Zoo

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Agaminae
Genus: Hydrosaurus
Species: H. amboinensis
Binomial name
Hydrosaurus amboinensis
(Schlosser, 1768)

The Malaysian Sail-finned Lizard (Hydrosaurus amboinensis) is the largest agamid lizard in the world, growing to over 1 m in length. This lizard is able to run short distances across water using both its feet and tail for support - an ability shared with the plumed basilisk.