Gila Monsters and

Humans

Heloderma suspectum

Nick Long
BIO 1090 Wednesday Afternoon

Phylogenetic Tree
-Heloderma suspectum
-Not as closely related
to other similar looking
animals.
-Closer compared to
snakes than geckos.

General Info on Gila Monster

One of few venomous lizards. However venom may lower plasma

glucose.

Gets its name from the Gila River between Mexico and Arizona.

Live in desert climate.

Heloderma = helo (stud/head of nail) derma (skin)

Suspectrum = apparently because only suspected to be venomous at

first

Classification

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Order: Squamata

Family: Varanoidea

Genus: Heloderma

Scientific Name:

(last connection to humans)

Reptilia

Heloderma suspectum

Basic Anatomy

Initial impressions

Difference in scales vs skin.

Large size difference.

Gila monsters need camouflage while we do not.

Presence of tail vs. absence of tail.

Webbed feet vs. separate toes

Spread out horizontally vs. spread out vertically.

Organ Systems
Overview with in-depth look at skeletal system

Muscular

Very strong muscles in legs and jaw.

Heavy tail helps support the Gila

Monster

Even with strong jaw muscles, they

have very weak throat muscles.

Has to raise head to swallow

Urinary
Kidneys

Drink up to 20% of their body

weight in water in a single time.

To avoid dehydration, the water is

recirculated into the circulatory
system from the urinary bladder.

Urine is not released from penis but

rather from cloaca (chamber where
both urine and excrement are
relased).

Nervous

Mostly identical to that of

humans.

Controlled by brain and nerves

that are attached to spinal cord

Only noticeable addition is

Jacobson Organ at roof of
mouth that helps smell and
detect food.

Digestive

Very low metabolism = binge eaters

Can eat up to 35% weight in one sitting,

yet only eat 5-10 times a year.

Similar intestinal tract to humans.

Releases excrement together with urine

through cloaca

Stores fat in tail and kidneys for

hibernation.

Endocrine

Gila Monsters have

additional glands that
help them to produce
venom. Necessary to
catching prey.

Flows from lower jaw to

teeth

Secretion from these

glands thought to help
with diabetic humans

Reproductive

Typically begin mating around

third year of life.

Males have 2 full functioning

reproductive organs

Stored inside tail

Used only for reproduction

Shred skin before mating season

Men compete over mating

partner, but do not kill nor injure.

Incubation time for eggs = about

5 months

Respiratory

Do not have a diaphragm

Very expandable lungs.

Because of a more simplistic

respiratory system, the lungs
can regulate the cavity and
make space for breathing.

Cardiovascular

Gila Monster heart has only one

ventricle

Cold-blooded, therefore they have to

regulate own temperature

Otherwise they are very similar to

humans.

Integumentary

Thick scales in place of skin

Does not regulate temperature very well

Different colors in their scales helps

camouflage

Immune

Major organ is the liver, just like in humans

Otherwise, very similar to humans

Skeletal
Gila Monster

Human

Skull
Human

Gila Monster

Built to hold bite for long time

Eye sockets on side

Short and long

Attach scales to body.

(osteoderm)

Bumps on head

More circular shaped

Large jaw
Eye sockets in front
Larger space for brain

Spine
Very identical
Can you tell which
one belongs to who?
Gila Monster has
extended vertebrae,
forming tail

Ribs and Pelvis

Long and narrow vs. Short and circular

Humans need 360 degree protection
while Gila Monsters only from
above.
Difference in quantity

Ribs and Pelvis

Although they are very
different in size, the main
structure and purpose of the
pelvis is similar between both
species

Appendicular Skeleton

Appendicular Skeleton
Presence of phalange (even though they
appear as claws).
Much more extended fingers/toes.
Separate sections in fingers and toes.
Joints similar to humans in knee, shoulder,
and elbow.

Cellular differences

As both are animals, the organelles are the

same, but they have slight difference in
function

Because Gila Monsters are ectothermic and

humans endothermic, humans have a higher
metabolism and thus produce more ATP

Gila Monsters also dont need to eat as

much because they dont need to provide
heat to their bodies.

DNA (Lizards, not Gila Monsters)

Studies are being done on DNA base of

lizards reproducing their tail.

Lizards have transpoons or jumping

DNA that can recreate codes in other
areas.

Hope is that we may be able to replicate

this in humans.

Environment

Found in deseret climates in

southwest US and northern
Mexico

Dry environment is crucial to

Gila Monsters because they
receive energy externally
through heat. Important for
scales.

They mostly live underground

because they can store energy
for so long and to avoid extreme
hot temperatures.

Evolutionary Adaptations

Toxic to predators

Camoflouge

Able to store fat in their tail

Diseases
Issues with yolk in birth

Diseases

Obesity

Due to very low metabolism

RESOURCES

"Animal Fact Sheet: Gila Monster." Foothills Palo Verde Fact Sheet. Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, n.d. Web. 09 Apr.
2016.

Casey, Constance. "Don't Call It a Monster." Editorial. Slate. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2016.

"Gas Exchange." The Gila Monster Resource. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2016.

Ghosh, Joydeeep. "Gila Monster." Animal Spot. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2016.

"Gila Monster | The Animal Facts." The Animal Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2016.

Gray, Barry. "Warm and Cold Blooded Animals." Warm and Cold Blooded Animals. N.p., Nov. 2013. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.

Jackson, Earl. "As Tough As They Come." Region III Quarterly. US National Park Services, Apr. 1941. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Malone, Maureen. "Adaptations for the Banded Gila Monster." Pets on Mom.Me. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.

Murphy, John C. "A New Squamate Phylogeny That Resolves From Previous Problems." Herp Nation. N.p., n.d. Web. 07
Apr. 2016.

"Reptiles | Gila Monster." San Diego Zoo Animals. San Diego Zoo, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Schwandt, Hans Joachim. "Gila Monster (Heloderma Suspectum)." Heloderma Suspectum and Gila Monsters. N.p., 1 Mar.
2007. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Wilkins, Alasdair. "Lizard Genome Sequence Solves a Human Genetic Mystery." Io9. N.p., 31 Aug. 2011. Web. 09 Apr.
2016.

Glossary

Camouflage- the ability to appear similar to ones environment to

avoid predators.

Cloaca- an opening towards the tail that allows for urine and
excrement to leave the body

Cold Blooded Animal- An animal that's internal temperature reflects

the external temperature and cannot regulate a constant internal
temperature.

Incubation- amount of time in childbirth from fertilization to birth

Jacobson organ- an organ in the gila monsters mouth that helps them
sense smells.

Glossary cont.

Metabolism- ability to process nutrients from food.

Osteoderm- bumps in reptile bones that help connect scale to bone.

Phalange- the bones of the fingers and toes.

Phylogenetic tree- a diagram that shows evolutionary relationships among

species.

Scale- The protective layer of reptiles that is similar to their skin.

Transpoon- Jumping DNA that is found in Lizards allowing them to regrow tail.

Ventricle- the largest section of the heart

Webbed feet- Feet that have two or more toes joined or connected closely
together.