24 January 2010, Semaphore Hill Road, Gamboa, Panama

This spectacular lizard likes to hang around near streams in tropical rain-forests where it frequently escapes danger by running at high speed over the surface of the water. It is thus sometimes known at the "Jesus Lizard." This is a large example and we did not see this one perform any miracles while we watched. However there were several younger lizards there which did skate across the water.

There are several other species in this genus and all are known from water-walking. A flap of skin on the rear toes facilitates the "magic."

This species ranges from Costa Rica to Venezuela.

Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope 3 | 30X WA |