Mexican beaded lizard

Description: Less colorful than its cousin, the gila monster. It has black or pale yellow bands or is entirely black.

Characteristics: Very strong legs let this lizard crawl over rocks and dig burrows. It is short-tempered. It will turn and open its mouth in a threatening manner when molested. Its venom is hemotoxic and potentially dangerous to man.

Habitat: Found in arid or desert areas, often in rocky hillsides, coming out during evening and early morning hours.

Length: Average 60 centimeters, maximum 90 centimeters.

Distribution: Mexico through Central America.

For information on a specific poisonous snake or lizard, click on one of the links below:

Snake Families:   - Colubridae   - Crotalidae   - Elapidae   - Viperidae   POISONOUS SNAKES OF THE AMERICAS:   - American copperhead   - Bushmaster   - Coral snake   - Cottonmouth   - Eastern diamondback rattlesnake   - Eyelash pit viper   - Fer-de-lance   - Jumping viper   - Mojave rattlesnake   - Tropical rattlesnake   - Western diamondback rattlesnake   POISONOUS SNAKES OF EUROPE:   - Common adder   - Long-nosed adder   - Pallas' viper   - Ursini's viper   POISONOUS SNAKES OF AFRICA AND ASIA:   - Boomslang   - Bush viper   - Common cobra   - Egyptian cobra   - Gaboon viper   - Green mamba   - Green tree pit viper   - Habu pit viper   - Horned desert viper   - King cobra   - Krait   - Levant viper   - Malayan pit viper   - McMahon's viper   - Mole viper or burrowing vipe   - Palestinian viper   - Puff adder   - Rhinoceros viper or river jack   - Russell's viper   - Sand viper   - Saw-scaled viper   - Wagler's pit viper or temple viper   POISONOUS SNAKES OF AUSTRALASIA:   - Australian copperhead   - Death adder   - Taipan   - Tiger snake   POISONOUS SEA SNAKES:   - Banded sea snake   - Yellow-bellied sea snake   POISONOUS LIZARDS:   - Gila monster   - Mexican beaded lizard