AN ADULT MALE Basiliscus plumifrons COPE, 1875 WITHOUT AN ARM SURVIVES IN THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST OF COSTA RICA.

Abstract

The green basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) is a moderate-sized Central American lizard that is distributed from Honduras to Panama. The species is mainly arboreal, although it is also observed perching on trunks, rocks and bushes. This lizard feeds on invertebrates and vertebrates, and also consumes flowers and fruits. On 23 June 2019 at 0932 a.m., at Cahuita National Park in the Caribbean of Costa Rica, we observed a green basilisk that did not have its left front limb. The basilisk had only one small, scarred rod like appendage. In this note we report this case and discuss some implications related to appendage loss and regeneration in amphibians and reptiles.