Northern caiman lizard

Description:

The Caiman Lizard is built similarly to its cousin the tegu, with a large heavy set body and short but powerful limbs. Its head is bulky and often a red or orange color. Their jaws are heavily muscular to help aid in eating its normal prey of snails, crayfish and fresh water clams. It also has a few adaptations that help it in its watery habitat. It has a long and flattened tail, similar to its name sake, the Caiman. The long tail helps the Caiman Lizard to successfully swim and dive. It also has a clear third eyelid which is thought to act like a pair of goggles underwater. The body of the caiman lizard is very similar to that of a crocodile. Its typically a bright green with slight dark green banding. There are horned raised scales along the dorsal of the back. This help to provide some protection against predators. These lizards can become up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 10 lbs. (information from Wikipedia)

Notes:

This lizard was spotted at Dallas World Aquarium