Helmeted Iguana
Helmeted IguanaHelmeted IguanaHelmeted IguanaHelmeted Iguana

Helmeted Iguana

Corytophanes cristatus

Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
42 Verified sightings at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge From 2019 to 2026
888 Verified sightings across all 30 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted Active throughout day and night

About the Helmeted Iguana

The smooth helmeted iguana (Corytophanes cristatus), also known as the helmeted iguana, the helmeted basilisk, the elegant helmeted lizard, and several other common names, is a species of Basilisk and a New World lizard in the family Corytophanidae. The species is native to southern Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America.

The smooth helmeted iguana is named for the prominent casque, or crest on the back of its head and neck which has the appearance of a helmet. The Corytophanidae family of lizards is thought to have Euramerican and Laurasian ancestral beginnings, and is believed to have moved down to the tropics after the Eocene period cooling, approximately 33–56 million years ago.

C. cristatus can be found ranging from Chiapas in southern Mexico to north-western Colombia. The habitat it primarily occupies in this range is primary and secondary mesic rain-forest. It lives predominantly in trees, but also hunts on the forest floor where it uses leaf litter as a micro-habitat.

The smooth helmeted iguana is a medium-sized lizard with long slim legs and... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge

Brown Basilisk
LC

Brown Basilisk

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Basiliscus vittatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Basiisk Verde

Basiisk Verde

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Basiliscus plumifrons

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~60%
2 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~50%
3 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
4 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
5 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
6 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
7 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
8 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~30%
9 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
10 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
11 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
12 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
13 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
14 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
15 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
16 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
17 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
18 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
19 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
20 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
21 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
22 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
23 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
24 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
25 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
26 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
27 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
28 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
29 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
30 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Helmeted Iguana in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Helmeted Iguana sighting in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, based on 42 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Helmeted Iguana in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge?

September has the highest sighting rate for Helmeted Iguana in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in our monthly data.

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