Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus

The Philippine Sail-finned Lizard, usually abbreviated to Sailfin Lizard, is endemic to the Philippines and lives by rivers and waterbodies. The full name is used to differentiate from the similar Moluccan/Amboina Sail-finned and other Hydrosaurus species.

As its Latin name indicates, it is often in water and it has modified back toes to enable it to run on water (using 2 legs and its tail like a basilisk).

The sail fin is an extendable fin on its tail which facilitates swimming.

The male lizard, which can grow to a length of over a metre, is more colourful than the female and develops blue/violet colouring as it ages.