Marsh Basilisk Under the Waves

The Emerald Basilisk is a semi-aquatic reptile that is commonly found in the rainforests of Central America as it thrives in dense, humid forests, using its ability to run across water away from predators. With rising global temperatures and sea levels, it threatens to turn their rainforests into a coastal marshland. To survive in this evolving environment, they would need to gain favorable traits through natural selection. This future Basilisk could develop into an amphibious lizard with webbed toes used for swimming, and the shift from a bright green to a blue green or darker hue for camouflage. Instead of sprinting on the water, this amphibian can develop stronger limbs used for swimming as well as a hydrodynamic body to reduce drag in aquatic settings. The lizard's diet may also shift from insects and small vertebrates to fish and amphibians, leading to sharper teeth and enhanced jaw strength.