The deserts of Arizona are home to many unique creatures, and one of the most interesting is the Gila monster, named after the Gila River Basin in that state. If you are a fan of 1950s science fiction movies, you may have seen the one about the giant version of this lizard. While they do not get that large, they do grow to a fair size and have the potential to be deadly.
In addition to Arizona, the Gila monster is found in other states in the southwestern United States including California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah, and in Sonora, a state in northwestern Mexico. It is one of only two venomous lizards found in North America, with the other being the Mexican beaded lizard. Two subspecies exist: the reticulate and the banded Gila monsters. The former lives in the southern parts of their range, and the latter lives in the northern part -- particularly the Mojave Desert, which occupies parts of most of the states mentioned above.
In addition to Arizona, the Gila monster is found in other states in the southwestern United States including California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah, and in Sonora, a state in northwestern Mexico. It is one of only two venomous lizards found in North America, with the other being the Mexican beaded lizard. Two subspecies exist: the reticulate and the banded Gila monsters. The former lives in the southern parts of their range, and the latter lives in the northern part -- particularly the Mojave Desert, which occupies parts of most of the states mentioned above.