Iguana iguana Liner 1994
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
The green iguana is one of the best-known reptiles due to its popularity in zoos and with private reptile keepers (3). It has a very distinctive appearance, with a large head, a pronounced dewlap, and an impressive crest of comb-like spines that runs down the centre of the back and tail (3) (5), measuring around three centimetres high (2). While, like its name suggests, this iguana is usually a shade of green, (from dull, grassy green to vivid turquoise), bright orange individuals may occur in the northern parts of its range (3), and the colour may also vary with temperature, particularly when young, being bright green when hot and dull and dark when cold (2). The green iguana's scaly skin is either uniformly coloured, or bears blackish stripes or a contrasting brownish pattern (3). Prominent large, circular scales are present on the lower jaw below the clearly visible tympanum. Male green iguanas can be distinguished from females by the more pronounced spiny crest and larger head (5), the more noticeable femoral pores (2), and the broader cloaca opening (6).
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The green iguana, Iguana iguana is a popular pet trade species not native to Florida, but increasingly encountered as an escaped exotic in the southern half of the state.I. iguana is variable in color, young animals being bright green and then becoming more uniform grayish green in color with age. Green iguanas also have a limited ability to alter color based on mood or social interaction or in response to environmental conditions, with males exhibiting more color variation than females (Frye 1995).A prominent hanging dewlap under the throat, a dorsal crest of robust dermal spines running from neck to tail, a set of large scales on each side of the head, a membrane-covered tympanum, and a long, tapering, variably ringed tail are distinguishing features of the species (Oldham and Smith 1975, De Vosjoli 1992; Frye 1995, Gingell and Harding 2005). The eyes are laterally positioned and are protected by an immovable upperlid and a movable lower eyelid. A light-sensing organ-the parietal "eye"-is present on top of the head and is important in cueing diel coordination and gonadal maturation. The parietal eye exhibits rudimentary visual sensory abilities, namely the ability to perceive shadows from above the animal (Frye 1995).
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Green Iguanas are arboreal lizards that live high in the tree canopy. Juveniles establish areas lower in the canopies while older mature iguanas reside higher up. This tree dwelling habit allows them to bask in the sun, rarely coming down except when females dig burrows to lay eggs. Although preferring an arboreal (forested) environment, they can adjust well to a more open area. No matter where they inhabit, they prefer to have water around as they are excellent swimmers and will dive beneath the water to avoid predators (Conant and Collins 1998).
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds; rivers and streams; temporary pools; coastal ; brackish water
Wetlands: swamp
Other Habitat Features: suburban ; agricultural
- Alberts, A., R. Carter, W. Hayes, E. Martins. 2004. Iguanas: Biology and Conservation. Berkeley and Los Angeles, Californa: University of California Press.
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Data collated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission suggests breeding populations of I. iguana are established in at least 5 Florida counties. The statewide trend appears to be expansion of the overall population and invasive range.
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The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There is 1 barcode sequence available from BOLD and GenBank.
Below is the sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.
See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen.
Other sequences that do not yet meet barcode criteria may also be available.
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En algunas partes del país se consume su carne; como resultado de ello, en numerosas áreas esta especie se ve amenazada. Su piel es usada en la confección de delicadas piezas de uso personal, como zapatos, billeteras, bolsos, etc.
Green iguanas, Iguana iguana, occur throughout Central and South America, from Sinaloa and Veracruz, Mexico, south to the Tropic of Capricorn in Paraguay and southeast Brazil. This large lizard also inhabits many islands throughout the Caribbean region and the coastal eastern Pacific, and has been introduced into southern Florida and in Hawaii. This is the largest known lizard to occur within the borders of the United States (Conant and Collins, 1998; Campbell, 1998).
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced , Native ); neotropical (Introduced , Native )
- Campbell, J. 1998. Amphibians and Reptiles of Norther Guatemala,the Yucatan, and Belize. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press.
- Conant, R., J. Collins. 1998. Peterson Field Guides: Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern & Central North America, 3rd Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Comments: ACACIA thickets, mangrove edge; near water in otherwise xeric areas; in bushes and trees, on open rocky ground, cliff faces, rocky crevices (Schwartz and Henderson 1991). Mostly arboreal; juveniles sleep in low trees and bushes; adults probably in large trees, rock piles, rock crevices, or burrows (Schwartz and Henderson 1991). Small juveniles more terrestrial (Fitch and Henderson 1977). Good swimmer. In Panama, usually stayed close to lake shoreline (Bock et al. 1989, Rand et al. 1989). Eggs are laid in burrows dug in open areas, often a sand bank (Fitch and Henderson 1977). Usually returns to same nesting site each year (Bock et al. 1989).
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| Rights holder/Author | Hammerson, G., NatureServe |
| Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Iguana+iguana |
Hatchlings in Panama dispersed average of 250 m (maximum 1750 m) from nest site to hatchling habitat where they became sedentary; females traveled average of 425 m (maximum 1400 m) from home range to nesting site (Bock and McCracken 1988); 2 females moved 470 m and 1140 m from center of home range to nesting area (Rand et al. 1989); regarded as sedentary outside breeding season, core area of home range over 6 months ranged from about 1200 sq m in a juvenile to about 9500 sq m in large adult male (another study found smaller male home range size) (Rand et al. 1989).
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Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 2
Specimens with Barcodes: 6
Species With Barcodes: 1