IGUANA

- Iguanas as a Hobby (Save Our Planet) Paperback – October 15, 1992

by Shelly K Ferrell (Author)

This article is about the genus. For the most common species, see Green iguana. For the family of related lizards, see Iguanidae.

For other uses, see Iguana (disambiguation).

Iguana (/ɪˈɡwɑːnə/,[1][2] Spanish: [iˈɣwana]) is a genus of omnivorous lizards native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena. Two species are included in the genus Iguana: the green iguana, which is widespread throughout its range and a popular pet, and the Lesser Antillean iguana, which is native to the Lesser Antilles and endangered due to habitat destruction.

The word "iguana" is derived from the original Taino name for the species, iwana.[3]

In addition to the two species in the genus Iguana, several other related genera in the same family have common names of the species including the word "iguana".

Anatomy and physiology :

Iguanas can range from 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) including their tail. The two species of lizard within the genus Iguana possess a dewlap, a row of spines running down their backs to their tails, and a tiny "third eye" on their heads. This light-sensing organ is known as the parietal eye, visible as a pale scale on the top of the head, and cannot make out details, just brightness. Behind their necks are small scales which resemble spokes, known as tuberculate scales. These scales may be a variety of colors and are not always visible from close distances. They have a large round scale on their cheeks known as a subtympanic shield.[4]

Iguanas have keen vision and can see shapes, shadows, colors, and movement at long distances. Their visual acuity enables them to navigate through crowded forests and to locate food. They employ visual signals to communicate with other members of the same species.[4]

The tympanum, the iguana's eardrum, is located above the subtympanic shield (or "earshield") behind each eye. Iguanas are often hard to spot, as they tend to blend into their surroundings and their coloration enable them to hide from larger predators.[4]

Iguana

Green iguana (Iguana iguana)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Suborder:Iguania

Family:Iguanidae

Genus:Iguana
Laurenti, in 1768

Species

Lesser Antillean Iguana, I. delicatissima
Green Iguana, I. iguana

Male iguanas, like other male examples of Squamata, have two hemipenes.

Images :

An Iguana from Key Largo, Florida.

Green iguana from the island of St. Thomas

Another green iguana

An iguana at Butterfly World, Stellenbosch, South Africa

A Lesser Antillean iguana in the wild in Dominica

An iguana at an environmental reserve at La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico

Green iguana, Iguana iguana, on St. Thomas

Iguana in Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, India

Invasive green iguana on Grand Cayman

Green Iguana at Bannergatta, Bangalore, India

Video :

For the external links , refrences click here to read the full wikipedia article

4 Cool Facts about Green Iguanas | Pet Reptiles

green iguana (lizard) 19 YEARS OLD goofy the iguana

Iguana Facts :

courtesy to : www.livescience.com/51153-iguanas.html

By Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor | June 11, 2015 09:20pm ET

The desert iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, is one of the 66 species of lizards the researchers studied in their analysis.

Credit: Theodore Garland, UC Riverside

Iguanas are lizards identified by their stocky stature, the saggy skin on their throats and the spines that protrude from their heads, necks, backs and tails. Iguanas are popular pets and can live 15 to 20 years if cared for properly.

Size :

The longest of the iguanas is the green iguana. It grows to between 5 and 7 feet (1.5 to 2 meters) long from nose to tail. The smallest of the group is the spiny-tailed iguana, which grows to 4.9 to 39 inches (12.5 to 100 centimeters) long. The heaviest iguana is the blue iguana. It can weigh up to 30 lbs. (14 kilograms), according to the San Diego Zoo.

Habitat :

Iguanas like warm temperatures because they are cold blooded. This means that the outside temperature is what keeps them warm since they have no way to regulate internal heat with their own bodies. These lizards are found in Mexico, Central and South America, the Galápagos Islands, on some of the Caribbean islands, Fiji and Madagascar. They typically live in tropical and subtropical forests, deserts and coastlines, according to the San Diego Zoo. The University of Florida also reports that there are iguanas running free in south Florida due to people setting their pets loose.

Diet :

Overall, most iguanas are herbivores and only eat vegetation such as flower buds, fruits and young leaves. The marine iguana will get its meal by scraping algae from rocks in the ocean or by munching on sea weed, according to National Geographic. Pet iguanas and some wild iguanas enjoy worms, crickets and baby mice along with vegetation.

Habits :

Iguanas are social creatures that eat and live together. Male iguanas are very territorial, though, and will fight other encroaching male iguanas. It is easy to identify male iguanas that are not dominant. They have broken and stubby spines that were damaged in battles with more dominant iguanas, according to the San Diego Zoo.

Since they don't need to actively hunt for their food, iguanas are very laid back creatures. Iguanas typically spend their days lounging in the sun to keep warm and from time to time they will get up for a snack. The green iguana will forage in the same spot every day, according to the Smithsonian.

Offspring :

Like most lizards, iguanas lay eggs, though the number of eggs varies, depending on species. The female rock iguana lays five to 20 eggs, for example, while the green iguana lays around 65 eggs.

Eggs are laid in a burrow in a warm, sunny area. The mother covers the eggs and then walks away. According to the San Diego Zoo, the burrow will stay a steady 77 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit (25 to 32 degrees Celsius), which incubates the eggs until they hatch. The baby iguanas are completely on their own for the three years it takes to fully mature because their mother never returns. Many young never make it to maturity.

An adult Grand Cayman blue iguana on its namesake island.

Credit: Julie Larsen Maher/Wildlife Conservation Society.

Classification/taxonomy

There are 35 recognized species of iguana, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web. However, ADW reports that the Iguanid family is undergoing "much systematic revision." The taxonomy of iguanas, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), is:

Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Bilateria
Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Iguanidae
Genera: Amblyrhynchus, Brachylophus, Conolophus, Ctenosaura, Cyclura, Dipsosaurus, Iguana, Sauromalus
Species: Examples include:

Iguana iguana (green iguana)
Brachylophus bulabula (Fiji banded iguana)
Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Galápagos marine iguana)
Conolophus marthae (Galápagos pink land iguana)
Dipsosaurus dorsalis (common desert iguana)
Ctenosaura bakeri (Utila spiny-tailed iguana)

Conservation status :

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), iguanas are among the most endangered animals in the world. In the wild, iguanas' numbers are dropping drastically due to loss of habitat and predators. The Fiji banded iguana, for example, is found on only two islands, and its population has dropped by 50 percent in the past 30 to 45 years.

The Galápagos pink land iguana is labeled as critically endangered. As of 2012, only one small population existed in an area of less than 25 square kilometers (9.6 square miles). Only 192 mature members were counted. The Utila spiny-tailed iguana is also considered critically endangered. It's only found on the island of Utila, Honduras, and its population is believed to be less than 5,000.

The green, or tree, iguana (Iguana iguana) from South America, is just one of the live species on display in Darwin, the most in-depth exhibition ever mounted on this highly original thinker, November 19, 2005, through May 29, 2006, at the American Museum of Natural History.

Credit: © Joe McDonald, Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland

Other facts

The Galapagos marine iguana is black. The dark color helps absorb heat from the sun after a swim in the ocean to keep the lizard warm. Marine iguanas also have flattened tails that let them swim through the water like crocodiles.

Green iguanas are tough. They can drop from a branch up to 40 feet (12 meters) high, hit the ground and survive, according to National Geographic.

In Central and South America, people farm and eat iguanas.

Green Iguana

courtesyto: animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/green-iguana/

Green, or common, iguanas are among the largest lizards in the Americas, averaging around 6.5 feet (2 meters) long and weighing about 11 pounds (5 kilograms).

They are also among the most popular reptile pets in the United States, despite being quite difficult to care for properly. In fact, most captive iguanas die within the first year, and many are either turned loose by their owners or given to reptile rescue groups.

The green iguana’s extensive range comprises the rain forests of northern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and southern Brazil. They spend most of their lives in the canopy, descending only infrequently to mate, lay eggs, or change trees.

Primarily herbivores, iguanas are active during the day, feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruit. They generally live near water and are excellent swimmers. If threatened, they will leap from a branch, often

from great heights, and escape with a splash to the water below. They are also tough enough to land on solid ground from as high as 40 feet (12 meters) and survive.

Iguanas' stout build gives them a clumsy look, but they are fast and agile on land.

- Map :

Green Iguana Range

Fast Facts :

Type:Reptile

Diet:Herbivore

Average life span in the wild:20 years

Size:6.6 ft (2 m)

Weight:11 lbs (5 kg)

Did you know?

In Central America, where iguana meat is frequently consumed, iguanas are referred to as "bamboo chicken" or "chicken of the trees."

Relative:

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man

They have strong jaws with razor-sharp teeth and sharp tails, which make up half their body length and can be used as whips to drive off predators. They can also detach their tails if caught and will grow another without permanent damage.

Other members of the iguana family include the Fiji Island banded iguana, the desert iguana, and the Galápagos Islands marine iguana. Their appearance, behavior, and endangered status vary from species to species.

Other Websites :

- www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/about-galapagos/biodiversity/reptiles/

- a-z-animals.com/animals/iguana/

- animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/iguana

- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Iguana&species=iguana