Meet the Jesus Christ Lizard Lizards

Thanks to super speed and specially-designed feet, the basilisk lizard can run on water... an ability that makes it deadly to insects, and has led people to call it the "Jesus Christ Lizard."





Narration:



Iin the jungles of Costa Rica, speed is everything for the basilisk lizard.



When you prey on winged insects...you need to be quick...because your prey moves fast...really fast.



So when the basilisk is in a hurry, it displays one of the most spectacular capabilities in nature...a true superpower.



This flat-footed reptile is so fast and so light that it can run across the surface of the water at speeds as much as five feet per second.



But speed alone doesn't make this superpower possible.



Long toes on their rear feet...along with fringes of skin that unfurl to meet the water...create little air pockets under the lizard's feet.



And the air pockets give the lizard lift!



A true superpower in nature.



