Mexican Beaded Lizard - Five Sisters Zoo

One of only a few venomous lizards, the Mexican Beaded Lizard is closely related to the Gila Monster. They have black heads and bodies with patches of yellow or white on the body and yellow bands on the tail. Their skin is covered in distinctive ‘beads’ made of bone deposits, providing protection against predators. A nocturnal species, the Mexican Beaded Lizard has large jaw muscles that they will use to grip their prey in order to expose them to their venom.

Facts

Diet: Carnivore; small mammals, reptile eggs, some invertebrates

Weight:  1.4-4kg

Length:  75-90 cm

Habitat: Mexico; primarily western coast in forest, shrub-land and semi-arid rocky regions

Life Span:  20-30 years

Adapted to Survive

  • Special grooves in some teeth allow venom to be injected into prey or predator
  • They store fat in their tail, which helps them endure periods when food is scarce

Threats

  • Habitat loss and fragmentation
  • Human-wildlife conflict

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern

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