When we think of dangerous animals, lizards might not seem as though they’d be top of the list – but a few scaly species prove that reptiles can be just as lethal as big cats or venomous snakes.
From venom that has been transformed into trailblazing diabetes treatment to toxins that inhibit blood clotting, lizards have some of the most unusual and surprising weapons in the animal kingdom.
Deadliest lizards in the world
Gila monster
Native to western North America and Mexico, the Gila monster is the largest lizard in the US and is one of the most dangerous lizards. Like the beaded lizard, the Gila monster’s venom is stored in its saliva glands and flows into the grooves on its teeth. When the lizard bites its prey, the venom enters and soon kills the victim. With a large head and muscular jaw, the Gila monster can capture prey and bite down hard, with venom seeping into the wound of the prey.
Although the Gila monster’s bite may be painful, its venom has actually been incredibly useful to humans as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. After being developed in 1992, an injectable diabetes drug synthesised from the hormone exendin-4 in the lizard’s saliva was approved for treatment of type 2 diabetes in 2005.
We named the Gila monster as one of the world's most venomous animals.
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Mexican beaded lizard
The Gila monster and the beaded lizard are the only two lizards in the world that can kill with one bite. Native to Mexico and Guatemala, the beaded lizard is closely related to the Gila monster. It too bites down on its prey by locking its jaw into its enemy and funnelling nerve poison through its grooved teeth into it.
Komodo dragon
While its bite might not be as venomous as other lizards, the Komodo dragon is one of the deadliest lizards in the world, thanks to its large size, force of its bite and its aggressive nature. The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest living lizard, reaching lengths of up to 3m and weighing up to 150kg.
An attack from a Komodo dragon can be fatal, due to their venom and bacteria. The toxins in its venom glands inhibit blood clotting, which means their prey can easily bleed to death. It was also recently discovered that Komodo dragons' teeth are coated with iron to allow the lizards to tear quickly and efficiently through their prey.
We named the Komodo dragon as one of the world's weirdest reptiles – and it was also featured in our list of animals that can kill prey twice their size.
