Iguana
Iguanas are a type of lizard in the genus Iguana that lives in tropical areas of Central and South America and the Caribbean. There are only two species of iguana, the green iguana and the Lesser Antillean iguana.
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| A Green iguana (Iguana iguana) | |
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| Genus: | Iguana Laurenti, 1768
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Appearance
The two species of lizard both have a dewlap, a row of spines running down their back to their tail, and a third eye on their head. This eye is known as the parietal eye, which looks just like a pale scale on the top of their head. Behind their neck are small scales which look like spikes, and are called tuberculate scales. They also have a large round scale on their cheek called a subtympanic shield.
Senses
Iguanas have excellent vision and can see long distances, shapes, shadows, color and movement. An iguana uses its eyes to navigate through trees and forests, as well as for finding food. They also use their eyes to communicate with members of the same species. An iguana's ear is called a tympanum. It is the iguana's ear drum and is found right above the subtympanic shield and behind the eye. This is a very thin, delicate part of the iguana, and is very important to its hearing.
Iguana Media
Male green iguana at the Green Iguana Conservation Project in San Ignacio, Belize.
Iguana at Butterfly World, Stellenbosch, Western Cape Province, South Africa
Iguanas have an exclusively herbivorous diet, as illustrated above by a green iguana eating a mango in Venezuela.
Albino Iguana - Bred to be kept as a pet
Green iguana skull and teeth: The teeth of the green iguana sit on the surface of the jawbone, known as acrodontal placement.
Simple phylogeny with Reptilia highlighted in green: Iguanians are within Lepidosauria.
Iguana delicatissima, ou Iguane des petites Antilles sur l'Îlet Chancel
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Saban black iguana basking on the Windward coast of Saba. Image from Breuil et al., ZooKeys 926: 95-131; 2020
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Wikispecies has information on: Iguana. |