AY Honors/Species Account/Heloderma suspectum

Heloderma suspectum

Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)

Description: A heavy, slow-moving lizard, up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) long, the Gila monster is the only venomous lizard native to the United States and one of only two known species of venomous lizards in North America, the other being its close relative, the Mexican beaded lizard (H. horridum). Habitat: Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexican state of Sonora.
Type of sexual reproduction: The male initiates courtship by flicking his tongue to search for the female's scent. If the female rejects his advances, she will bite him and crawl away. When successful, copulation has been observed to last from 15 minutes to as long as two and a half hours. The female lays eggs in July or August, burying them in sand 5 in (13 cm) below the surface. The clutch consists of two to 12 eggs: five is the average. The incubation lasts nine months, as the hatchlings emerge during April through June the following year.
Eating habits: The Gila monster feeds on small birds, mammals, frogs, lizards, insects, and eggs - primarily on bird and reptile eggs. It eats infrequently (only five to ten times a year in the wild), but when it does feed, it may eat up to one-third of its body mass. Its sense of smell is so keen, it can locate and dig up chicken eggs buried 15 cm (6 in) deep and accurately follow a trail made by rolling an egg. Prey may be crushed to death if large or eaten alive if small, swallowed head-first, and helped down by muscular contractions and neck flexing. Unusually, after food has been swallowed, the Gila monster immediately resumes tongue flicking and search behavior, probably as a result of a history of finding clumped prey such as eggs and young in nests. Gila monsters are able to climb trees and cacti in search of eggs.
Diseases and harm to humans: While poisonous, there are no reports of death from bites after the 1930's and those deaths likely were related to poor medical care. If bitten, the victim may need to fully submerge the attacking lizard in water to break free from its bite. Symptoms of the bite include excruciating pain, edema, and weakness associated with a rapid drop in blood pressure. Expect to be sick for about 5 days. "I have never been called to attend a case of Gila monster bite, and I don't want to be. I think a man who is fool enough to get bitten by a Gila monster ought to die. The creature is so sluggish and slow of movement that the victim of its bite is compelled to help largely in order to get bitten. ” —Dr. Ward, Arizona Graphic, September 23, 1899 On the positive side, science is finding useful medicine from the Gila monster including a diabetes drug Byetta approved by the US FDA in 2005
Prevention: Don't bother the Gila monster and it will not bother you.