Lizard heads called the parietal eye, a basal ("primitive") feature also present in the tuatara. This "eye" has only a rudimentary retina and lens and cannot form images, but is sensitive to changes in light and dark and can detect movement. This helps them detect predators stalking it from above. Until 2006 it was thought that among lizards, only the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard were venomous. However, several species of monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon, produce powerful venom in their oral glands. Lace monitor venom, for instance, causes swift loss of consciousness and extensive bleeding through its
Mexican mole lizard this burrowing species only surfaces at night or after heavy rain. It uses its autotomous tail as an escape tatic for predators. Losing a part of the tail while burrowing can plug up the hole behind it, giving it time to escape from any kind of predator that might be chasing it down. It is an opportunist carnivore and eats ants, termites, ground-dwelling insects, larvae, earthworms, and small animals including lizards. It usually pulls its prey under ground to start its meal. Mexican mole lizard The Mexican mole lizard (Bipes biporus), commonly known as the five-toed worm lizard, or simply