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Gila Monster and Mexican Beaded Lizard: Helodermatidae

Diet

Gila monsters and beaded lizards wander through their habitat looking for young rabbits or rodents or snakes and lizard eggs to eat. They will even climb trees and cacti in search of bird eggs.

LIVING FOSSILS

The Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard are often called "living fossils." This means that they have changed very little from the way their ancestors looked millions of years ago. Both lizards belong to a family that scientists have traced back 98 million years, long before the great dinosaur extinction of 65 million years ago. Most species in this family have disappeared, but the Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard remain and display many of the characteristics of their long-gone relatives.

Additional topics

Animal Life ResourceDinosaurs, Snakes, and Other ReptilesGila Monster and Mexican Beaded Lizard: Helodermatidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Gila Monsters, Mexican Beaded Lizards, And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, CONSERVATION STATUS