Monkey la la (brown basilisk)
Basiliscus vittatus
Where to see it
Around streams, ponds, ditches and gardens all over the island. Watch the water's edge and wait for one to bolt.
When
All year
Status
Least Concern
The local name for the brown basilisk, the lizard that runs across water on its hind legs when it is startled, which is why the rest of the world calls it the Jesus Christ lizard. Males have a crest on the head and a sail down the back; females and young are plainer, striped brown with a pale line along the flank.
It is native and common here, around streams, ponds and the edges of gardens, but it lives across Central America too, so it is not one of the island's own. On Roatan it has also given its name to one of the best-known cocktails, which is probably how most visitors first hear of it. Order the drink, then go and find the lizard.