Species Information

Kingdom: Animalia
  Phylum: Craniata
    Class: Reptilia
      Order: Squamata
        Family: Helodermatidae
          Genus: Heloderma
            Species: suspectum

Gila Monster - Heloderma suspectum

Gila Monster

Image courtesy of Biota Information System of New Mexico

395943

Species Extent (New Mexico)

General Description

Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) is a large (up to 0.6 m total length), heavy-bodied lizard with pinkish/orangish and black, beaded skin and a venomous bite. They are distributed from southern California and Nevada to southwestern New Mexico and northwestern Mexico. . In southwestern New Mexico, they can be found in desert, mesquite-grassland, pine-oak forest, tropical deciduous forest, and thorn forest habitats. The availability of refuge shelters, including rock cavities and crevices, is crucial for this species.

Status

Global Rank: G4

State Rank: S2

State Status: E

Federal Status:

USFS Status:

BLM Status: BLM SENSITIVE

SWAP Status: SGCN

NMRP Strategy Status:

Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database

Number of Subpopulations: 30

Number of Mapped Locations: 48

Number of Observations: 63

Observation date range: 05-16-1905 to 05-24-2023

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