Gila monster
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
A Gila monster delivers venom through grooves in its teeth.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Gila monster
- Scientific name
- Heloderma suspectum
- Japanese name
- アメリカドクトカゲ
- Group
- Amphibians and reptiles
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Helodermatidae
- Genus
- Heloderma
Where the name “Gila monster” comes from
Its English name comes from the Gila River in Arizona.
San Diego ZooA lizard of dry lands from the southwestern United States to northern Mexico. Unusually for a lizard, it is venomous.
Its body is covered with bead-like scales. Because it lives in harsh places such as deserts, it stores nutrients in its tail.
Because it moves slowly, it eats things like baby mice and bird eggs. It spends most of its time in underground burrows.
How the Gila monster lives
It begins hunting again in spring. It flicks its forked tongue to pick up scents from the air. It breaks eggs open, but swallows other food whole without chewing. It stays in a burrow during the cold winter months.
San Diego ZooBasic data
- Size
- Total length: 50–60 cm
- Weight
- 0.7–1.3 kg
- Diet
- Small mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, reptile and bird eggs, insects, worms, and more
- Range
- Southwestern United States and northern Mexico
Where the Gila monster has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- アメリカドクトカゲ
- 简体中文
- 美国毒蜥
- 繁體中文
- 美國毒蜥
- 한국어
- 미국독도마뱀
- Español
- Monstruo de Gila
- Français
- Monstre de Gila
- Deutsch
- Gila-Krustenechse
- Português (Brasil)
- Monstro-de-gila
- Italiano
- Mostro di Gila
- العربية
- هيلية
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Monster gila
- Русский
- Аризонский ядозуб
- Türkçe
- Boncuklu kertenkele
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — アメリカドクトカゲChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Heloderma suspectumChecked: 2026-11-03
- San Diego Zoo — Gila MonsterChecked: 2026-11-05
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Gila monster, look for this
- Watch for its tail swinging above the ground as it walks.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
San Diego ZooEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Gila monster
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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