🦎
🏷️
Classification
Reptile
🍽️
Diet
Carnivore
⏱️
Lifespan
20–30 years
⚖️
Weight
0.35–2.3 kg
Population Trend
➡️Stable
Description
One of only two venomous lizards in the world, native to the southwestern United States.
Habitat
🌿 desert🌿 scrubland🌿 rocky hillsides
Extended Data
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Family
Helodermatidae
Genus
Heloderma
Fun Facts
1
One of only two venomous lizard species in the world.
2
Their venom contains a protein (exendin-4) used in diabetes medication (Byetta).
3
Store fat in their tails — can survive months without eating.
4
Bead-like scales called osteoderms form a bony armor under their skin.
5
Named after the Gila River basin in Arizona and New Mexico.