Mexican Beaded Lizard

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Mexican beaded lizard

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Helodermatidae
Genus: Heloderma
Species: H. horridum
Binomial name
Heloderma horridum
Wiegmann, 1829

The Beaded Lizard or Mexican Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum) is found in Guatemala and Mexico. Along with its close cousin, the Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum), it is known as one of the two venomous lizards in the world.[1] Their venom is similar to that of some snakes (e.g., the Western diamondback rattlesnake). It has a number of subspecies, including H. h. exasperatum, H. h. alvarezi, and H. h. horridum. Adult Beaded Lizards range from 30 to 36 inches (76 to 91 cm) in length. It is substantially larger than its relative, the Gila Monster, which only reaches lengths of 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm). Sometimes the two species are confused, but the size of the Beaded Lizard is an easy way to determine the species.

In late 2005, University of Melbourne researchers discovered that Komodo Dragons (Varanus komodoensis), Perenties (V. giganteus), various other Monitor lizards, and Iguanians such as Pogona barbata may also be somewhat venomous. Previously, it had been thought that bites inflicted by these lizards were simply prone to infection because of bacteria in the lizards' mouths, but these researchers have shown that the immediate effects (at least in the Komodo Dragon, Spotted Tree Monitor, and the Lace Monitor) are caused by mild envenomation.[2]


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A pair of Mexican beaded lizards. The one on the right is in the process of shedding its skin.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Lizards' poisonous secret is revealed - NewScientist. Accessed February 27-2008
  2. ^ Fry, Brian G., et al. (2006). "Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes." Nature. Letters. Vol. 439/2 February 2006, pp. 584-588. Pdf file available for download at: [1]

[edit] References

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