Gila Monster
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Helodermatidae Genus: Heloderma Species: H. suspectum
Binomial name
Heloderma suspectum Cope, 1869

The gila monster (pronounced HEE-la, IPA pronunciation: [hilə]) (Heloderma suspectum) is a species of venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is a heavy, slow moving lizard, up to 60 cm (2 feet) long, and is the largest lizard native to the USA. Its skin has the appearance of black, pink, orange, and yellow beads, laid down in intricate patterns. These beads are small bony plates that form scales, and are known as osteoderms. Until very recently, it was thought to be one of only two species of venomous lizard, the other being its close relative the Mexican beaded lizard. However research at the University of Melbourne, Australia and Pennsylvania State University has revealed that in fact many lizards in the iguanian and monitor (lizard) families have venom-producing glands. Gila monster at Paignton Zoo, Devon, England. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses Anapsida Diapsida Synonyms Reptilia Laurenti, 1768 Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane, and members of the class Sauropsida. ... Suborders Lacertilia- Lizards Serpentes - Snakes Amphisbaenia - Worm lizards This article is about the Squamata order of reptiles. ... Classification Genus Heloderma Heloderma horridum: Mexican beaded lizard Heloderma suspectum: Gila monster Categories: Lizards | Helodermas ... Classification Genus Heloderma Heloderma horridum: Mexican beaded lizard Heloderma suspectum: Gila monster Categories: Lizards | Helodermas ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Edward Drinker Cope Edward Drinker Cope (July 28, 1840–April 12, 1897) was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ... Families Many, see text. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Families Many, see text. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... In this SEM image of a butterfly wing the scales are clearly visible, and the tiny platelets on each individual scale are just barely visible in the striping. ... Osteoderms are a bony deposit forming a scale, plate, or other structure in the dermal layers of the skin. ... It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ... Binomial name Heloderma horridum Wiegmann, 1829 The beaded lizard or Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum) is found in Mexico and the southern United States. ... The University of Melbourne, is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. ... The Pennsylvania State University (commonly known as Penn State) is a state-related, land-grant university. ... Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, anoles, etc. ... Species Many, see text. ... It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ...

The name "Gila monster" refers to the Gila River Basin in Arizona. The generic name for Heloderma is from the Greek words Helos coming from the head of a nail or stud, and derma for skin, therefore Heloderma means studded skin. Suspectum comes from Cope's notion that the lizard might be venomous due to the grooves in the teeth. The Gila River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the United States The Gila River (Oodham [Pima]: Hila Akimel) is a tributary of the Colorado River, 630 mile (1,014 km) long, in the southwestern United States. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... In biological nomenclature, a generic name or the name of a genus (sometimes genus name) is the name of a genus. ... “Human Head” redirects here. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ...

Unlike snakes which use hollow upper teeth (fangs), the Gila monster injects venom into its victim through grooves in the teeth of its lower jaw. The teeth are loosely anchored, which allows them to be broken off and replaced throughout their lives. The Gila monster produces only small quantities of its neurotoxic venom, which is secreted into the lizard's saliva. By chewing its prey, however, it tries to put as much of the venom into the bloodstream of its victim as possible. The Gila monster's bite is normally not fatal to humans (there are no confirmed reports of fatalities), but it can bite quickly and holds on tenaciously. blue: sea snakes, black: land snakes Superfamilies and Families Henophidia Aniliidae Anomochilidae Boidae Bolyeriidae Cylindrophiidae Loxocemidae Pythonidae Tropidophiidae Uropeltidae Xenopeltidae Typhlopoidea Anomalepididae Leptotyphlopidae Typhlopidae Xenophidia Acrochordidae Atractaspididae Colubridae Elapidae Hydrophiidae Viperidae A snake is a scaly, limbless, elongate reptile from the order Squamata. ... The mandible (from Latin mandibŭla, jawbone) or inferior maxillary bone is, together with the maxilla, the largest and strongest bone of the face. ... A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells – neurons – usually by interacting with membrane proteins and ion channels. ...

Arizona Gila Monster

Image File history File links Heloderma_suspectum. ... Image File history File links Heloderma_suspectum. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

Habitat and distribution

Gila monsters live from southwest Utah to the southern Sonora and northern Sinaloa; extreme southwest New Mexico to southern Nevada and just into eastern California. Heloderma suspectum also occurs up to an elevation of 4,800 feet. The Gila monster is more common in the wetter, rockier paloverde-saguaro desert scrub association than the drier, sandier creosote bush-bersage association. Heloderma suspectum also seem to prefer rocky foothills and avoid open areas and agricultural regions. Gila monsters live in burrows dug by other animals or may construct their own. This article is about the U.S. state. ... Sonora is a state in northwestern Mexico, bordering the states of Chihuahua to the east, Sinaloa to the south, and Baja California to the northwest. ... Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  Ranked 5th  - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²)  - Width 342 miles (550 km)  - Length 370 miles (595 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Area  Ranked 7th  - Total 110,567 sq mi (286,367 km²)  - Width 322 miles (519 km)  - Length 490 miles (788 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... In isolation, Hawaiis Silverswords have adapted to xeric microclimates within volcanic craters, trapping and channeling dew and protecting leaves with reflective hairs. ...

Diet

The Gila monster's diet generally consists of small rodents, juvenile birds as well as eggs of both birds and reptiles. The Gila monster eats large meals infrequently and can consume a meal of one third of its body weight. Young Gila monsters are known to be able to consume up to 50% of their body weight. An adult Gila monster can consume its entire yearly energy budget in three or four meals. In nutrition, the diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. ... Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents. ... who cares though]] island species, have also lost the ability to fly. ... In most birds and reptiles, an egg (Latin ovum) is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with human weight. ...

Physiology and behavior

There is moderate sexual dimorphism within this species, as males are larger, have a wider head, and a squarer frame than females. Female Heloderma suspectum tend to have an oval shaped body. Heloderma suspectum are relatively social creatures. Studies have shown that they recognize and interact with many individuals throughout their home range and have been seen in burrows together in separate years. In late April through late May, six or more individuals may occupy burrows at a time. Female (left) and male Common Pheasant, illustrating the dramatic difference in both color and size, between the sexes Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. ... In geometry, an oval or ovoid (from Latin ovum, egg) is any curve resembling an egg or an ellipse. ...

Gila monsters are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs. Five eggs is the average clutch size, but can reach up to twelve eggs at a time. In southern Arizona, Gila monsters breed in May and June and lay their eggs in June and August of the following year. These eggs then incubate in burrows and develop from fall to the early spring, and young appear in April and June. Interestingly, no other egg-laying lizard in North America over-winters their eggs and hatches them the following year, like Heloderma suspectum does. When captively bred, the gestation period of a Gila monster is 42-55 days. Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The Gestation period in a viviparous animal refers to the length of its pregnancy. ...

Gila monsters are adapted to eating large meals infrequently. In fact, an adult male Gila can consume its entire yearly energy budget in four or five meals. [2] This is because of the large meals they can consume as well as their limited food requirements. Their food requirements are reduced by a low metabolic rate, as well as the relatively cool body temperatures they maintain for most of the year.

Gila monsters specialize in feeding on the young and eggs in vertebrate nests such as the Spotted Barkev and the Blue Melodie. The Gila monster’s main activity period coincides with the availability of their main food source.

Conservation

Gila monsters are a protected species under Arizona state law in the United states, and may not be killed, or kept in captivity without a license in that state.^[1] They are listed as a threatened species under the United States Federal Endangered Species Act, as well as in Mexico. They also appear in Appendix II of CITES, which puts restrictions on their export. The main threat to the species is human encroachment and habitat destruction. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ...

Drug research

In 2005 the US Food and Drug Administration approved a drug for the management of type 2 diabetes, Byetta (exenatide), a synthetic version of a protein derived from the Gila monster's saliva.^[2] The drug based on a synthetic form of a hormone called exendin-4 that occurs naturally in Gila monster saliva "led to healthy sustained glucose levels and progressive weight loss among people with type 2 diabetes who took part in a three-year study."^[3] The effectiveness is due to the fact that "The lizard hormone is about 50 percent identical to a similar hormone in the human digestive tract, called glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, or GLP-1, that increases the production of insulin when blood sugar levels are high. Insulin helps move sugar from the blood into other body tissues where it is used for energy. The lizard hormone remains effective much longer than the human hormone, and thus its synthetic form helps diabetics keep their blood sugar levels from getting too high. Exenatide also slows the emptying of the stomach and causes a decrease in appetite, which is how it leads to weight loss."^[3] Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... hi “FDA” redirects here. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ... Exenatide (also Exendin-4, marketed as Byetta) is the first of a new class of medications approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. ...

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Bond, Aaron (July 2006). "Exenatide (Byetta) as a novel treatment option for type 2 diabetes mellitus". Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings 19 (3): 281-4. PMID 17252050. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Drug Derived From Gila Monster Saliva Helps Diabetics Control Glucose, Lose Weight", Science Daily, July 12, 2007. 

• Beaman (1996). Heloderma suspectum. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A2cd v2.3)hi

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Heloderma suspectum

• Heloderma information, list serve, photos and more
• Amateur Video of Arizona Gila monster in motion (3.3 MB QuickTime)