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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
green iguana, common iguana |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Iguanidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Iguana iguana (West Indian for lizard) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Arboreal;
earthy green lizard with transverse bands on the
body and tail; short, powerful limbs; sharp claws;
long, strong tail; large flap of skin (dewlap) that
hangs from throat and helps to regulate temperature;
prominent crest of soft spines along the middle
of the neck and back, beginning at base of the skull |
| MALE |
Males
typically have brighter overall coloration than
females |
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| SIZE: |
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| MALE |
120-195
cm (4-6.5 ft) as adults |
| FEMALE |
Slightly
smaller than males |
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| WEIGHT: |
4.5-6.75 kg (10-15 lb.) |
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| DIET: |
Omnivorous
as young but adults are almost exclusively herbivores;
fruits, flowers, leaves; insects and snails opportunistically;
young iguanas eat more insects and shift to 95%
vegetation as they age |
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| INCUBATION: |
60-85 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
10-50
eggs |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
2 years; males sometimes longer (need longer period
of growth in order to be large enough to compete
for females) |
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| HABITAT: |
Tree
dweller in tropics; trees/bushes close to water
in tropical rainforests; prefers temperatures in
the upper 90s (Farenheit) |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
No
data |
| CITES |
Not listed |
| USFWS |
Not listed |
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| 1. |
Iguanas
are able to hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. |
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| 2. |
They will often jump from tree to water using their
powerful tail for swimming to escape. They are also
able to leap down 40-50 feet without injury. |
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| 3. |
To attract a mate, mature males may turn orange
during breeding season. |
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| 4. |
Iguanas
store large amounts of fat in their lower jaw and
neck area in order to survive times of famine. The
pouch at the base of their neck is called a dewlap,
and is used in display. |
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| 5. |
Their
tail has weakened vertebrae so the iguana can break
free and escape if caught by the tail. Iguanas are
also able to whip their tail in defense, leaving
behind a stinging welt or worse. |
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Iguana meat is a valuable source of protein; theoretically,
farming iguanas could yield more meat per acre
than cattle, while requiring only 70% of what
a chicken consumes. With the loss of habitat due
to deforestation, iguana farming research is on
the rise.
Iguana
eggs are also considered a delicacy in the tropics,
coining the term "chicken of the tree."
Although
not listed as endangered or threatened, populations
are under pressure from both habitat destruction
and their popularity in the pet trade.
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|
|
Barlett, R.D. and Patricial P. Bartlett. Iguanas.
Barron's, New York. 1995. |
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Burghardt, Gordon M., and Rand, Stanley A. Iguanas
of the World. New Jersey: Noyes Publications,
1982. |
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Coborn, John. Snakes and Lizards: Their Care
and Breeding in Captivity. Great Britain:
Ralph Curtis Books Publishing, 1987.
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| Flank,
Lenny Jr. Herp Help. New York: Howell Book
House, 1998. |
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| Halliday,
Tim R., and Adler, Kraig. The Encyclopedia of
Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Equinox Books,
1986. |
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| Roberts,
Mervin and Martha D. Roberts. All About Iguanas.
T.F.H. Publications, Inc., New Jersey. 1976. |
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