What is a Banded Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)

What is a Banded Gila Monster

Gila Monster Overview

The Banded Gila Monster is the iconic lizard of the southwest seen throughout media whether it’s movies, tv shows, or graphic novels that talk about and show the desert. Native to the American southwest and northwest Mexico, the Banded Gila monster looks like an oversized salamander that has braille written across its skin. That brailed look is caused by something called osteoderms which occur naturally on the lizard and are present on other animals like alligators and crocodiles.

The Banded Gila Monster has many myths that surround it because of its size and stature but also because of its venom. Being the only venomous lizard in the United States, the Gila Monster is a lizard that should be respected more than feared. The reason I say they necessarily shouldn’t be feared is that these lizards are slow and sluggish to the point where it’s actually a detriment to their well-being when out in the open.

Birds of prey and coyotes have a pretty easy time out maneuvering a Gila Monster if they’re hungry enough to try as well as skilled enough to not get bitten. While the Banded Gila Monster is relatively slow on its feet, it can whip around in a flash and deliver a nasty, powerful bite that will send its venom coursing through your body.

The Banded Gila Monster is unique in that its venom delivery method is not like a traditional snake bite or insect sting. With those animals, venom is delivered through a hollow fang or stinger and pumped into the victims body. The way the Gila Monster delivers its venom is by forcing it into the bite wound via grooved teeth. This is why you will see Gila Monsters keep a tight grip, to ensure that as much venom as possible is introduced into the wound.

While they are a venomous lizard, they are rarely ever fatal to humans. Since 1930, there hasn’t been an officially recorded death caused by a Banded Gila Monster bite, it’s just incredibly painful. As long as you keep your distance and don’t harass a Banded Gila Monster you see in the wild, the sluggish lizard will more often than not ignore you or just scamper away.

One fun fact about the Banded Gila Monsters venom is that a component of it is currently being used to help treat type 2 diabetes.

Related Article >> Snakes in Nevada

Taxonomy

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

Related Article >> Reptiles

Size and Body Description

The Banded Gila Monster is a heavy, thick lizard with pearled black skin that has either pink or orange patterns running down the length of its body from head to tail. Their patterns start at the head and appear as random blotches until you get near the rear legs of the lizard which then turn into more of a stripped pattern.

What gives the Banded Gila Monsters skin that bumpy look and feel is in fact special little bones called osteoderms. Osteoderms are tiny bones and skin that form scales or plates on animals to give it a rigid form of protection against the outside world.

Length

Banded Gila Monsters grow around 18 to 24 inches in length.

Diet

The Banded Gila Monsters diet consists of small mammals, small birds and snakes, lizards, frogs, and eggs.

It has been reported that the lizard can survive most of the year off of 3 or 4 good meals. Its able to do this by storing excess fat in it tail to use later on when food may be scarce.

MonsterDoc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Reproduction

Breeding season occurs in spring and can go as long as early summer with eggs being laid around July or August.

The eggs of the Banded Gila Monster take as long as 10 months to hatch which is why the female Gila Monster will burry them in shallow nests that are dug into the ground.

A typical clutch is around 6 eggs with the rare potential to reach up to 8.

Where Found

Banded Gila Monsters are found primarily in Arizona and northern Mexico, the southeastern corner of California, the southern tip of Nevada, as well as southwestern New Mexico and Utah.

How Long do Banded Gila Monsters Live

Gila Monsters can live anywhere between 20 or 30 years and take around 3 to 5 years to fully mature.

Protection

The Banded Gila Monster has a few protections in certain states.

In California, it is illegal to import, possess, or transport Gila Monsters unless you have a permit issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Gila Monsters are listed as near threatened by the IUCN and in 1952 became the first venomous animal to be given legal protection in every state it lives in.

MonsterDoc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Comments

Below is a transcription of the above sign found at the Valley of Fire Visitor Center.

“Banded Gila Monster – Heloderma suspectum

HABITAT Arid and semi-arid regions of gravelly and sandy soils; digs burrows or uses those of other animals.

SIZE/DESCRIPTION 18 to 24 inches (45 to 61 cm) long; large, heavy body with stout legs and thick, swollen tail. Color: beaded scales, black and pinkish orange

FOOD Small rodents, bird eggs, young birds

RANGE Extreme southwestern Utah, southern Nevada and California, through southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico to Mexico.

ADAPTATION FOR SURVIVAL Its bite paralyzes, then kills its victims and can be quite dangerous to humans, although it is not an aggressive reptile. Tail stores large amount of fat which is used during poor years. Climbs into shrubs to raid bird nests.

COMMENTS Gila monsters and Mexican beaded lizards are the only two poisonous lizards in the world. Poison released through grooved teeth in back of bottom jaw. Poison flows onto floor or mouth when it bites; Gila monster does not release victim but slowly chews as it grips, forcing some poison into the prey.

GILA MONSTER IS A PROTECTED SPECIES. Do not to attempt to handle. Seek medical help immediately if bitten.”

References Used

Wikipedia – Gila Monster
sign at the Valley of Fire Visitor Center.
https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/gila-monster
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/gila-monster
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/gila-monster
https://www.rainforestexpeditions.com/what-is-an-osteoderm-and-how-it-helped-caiman-survive-human/
https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Gila%20Monster.php
https://californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/h.s.cinctum.html