July 21st, 2013

The common iguana has been scientifically described Swedish doctor and naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his System of Nature. In subsequent years, at least 17 more species and subspecies belonging to the common iguana were identified, but all of them, with the exception of the Caribbean green iguana, were invalidated.

In the first half of the 2000s, employees American University Utah Valley University conducted a study of the phylogenetic origin of the iguana using methods to compare the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of animals brought from 17 countries. The analysis showed that the species originated in South America, from where it spread to Central America and caribbean. Despite the variety of colors and other morphological features, the study did not find unique mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, but showed a clear evolutionary divergence between the Southern and Central America.

The name "iguana" originally comes from the word iwana - the name of the animal in the Taino language (the people who inhabited the islands of the Caribbean and disappeared with the advent of the conquistadors). The Spaniards began to call the reptile in their own way - iguana, and then from Spanish the word migrated both to scientific terminology and to all modern European languages.



The largest representative of the family: the length of an adult iguana usually does not exceed 1.5 m with a weight of up to 7 kg, although in forests South America some individuals can reach a length of 2 m with a mass of 8 kg. On the contrary, on semi-arid islands such as Curaçao, the size of lizards is usually 30% smaller than that of animals living on the mainland.

At birth, the length of the cubs varies from 17 to 25 cm and weighs about 12 g. Despite its name, the color of the iguana is not necessarily green, and largely depends on age and habitat. In the south of their range, such as in Peru, iguanas appear bluish with black spots. On the islands of Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba and Grenada, their color varies from green to pale lilac, black and even pink.

In the west of Costa Rica, common iguanas appear red, while in more northern regions, such as Mexico, they appear orange. In El Salvador, juveniles often look bright blue, but their color changes significantly as the lizards get older.

The green iguana is one of the most common lizard species, whose original range covers the tropical regions of the western hemisphere from southern Mexico (the states of Sinaloa and Veracruz) south to central Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, east to the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean - mainly Grenada , Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, Saint Vincent, Utila and Aruba. In addition, in the second half of the 20th century, lizards were introduced to the Grand Cayman Island, Puerto Rico, the American and British Virgin Islands, the continental states of Florida and Texas, and Hawaii.

Habitats - diverse biotopes with dense woody vegetation, mostly wet rainforests, but also semi-moist forests, mangroves and dry, open coastal areas. He spends most of his life on trees, usually growing along the banks of slowly flowing rivers. Iguanas are only active during daylight hours.

They spend cool nights on thick branches in the middle and lower tiers of trees, but with sunrise they try to climb higher, where they warm up for a long time - sunbathing increases body temperature, and ultraviolet radiation produces vitamin D, which promotes digestion. Only after a few hours of heating, the reptiles go in search of food down in the crown. In inclement or cool weather, the animal stays on the surface of the earth - thus it better retains internal heat.

An excellent climber, the lizard is able to fall from a height of up to 15 m to the ground and not break (at the same time, when falling, the iguanas try to cling to the foliage with the claws of their hind limbs). The lizard also swims well, while keeping the body completely submerged in water and stretching its legs along the body, and moves with the help of winding movements of the tail.

In Florida, where iguanas live in the coastal zone, they are considered an invasive species that disrupts the ecology of the region. Some of the animals came to the peninsula along with hurricanes that came from Mexico and the islands caribbean. Another wave of "immigrants" traveled in the holds of ships carrying fruit from South America.

Finally, some animals were thrown into the street or escaped from the owners, or are descendants of such lizards. Iguanas often damage gardens and green spaces. In the wild, they eat leaves of the rare tree Cordia globosa and seeds of local species of caesalpinia - plants that are the main food of the extremely rare butterfly Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri, which is under the protection of the international Red Book. On Marco Island west coast Florida iguanas occupy the burrows of the burrowing owl - an owl whose status in the Red Book is listed as vulnerable (category NT).

In the wild, most iguanas start breeding at the age of three or four years, although some of them are ready for breeding much earlier. The start of the breeding season most often occurs in January or February, but may vary depending on the habitat: during the seasonal cycle of humidity fluctuations mating games occur in the first half of the dry period, egg laying in the second (at this time the soil temperature is quite high, and there is less risk of masonry death from problems associated with water), and hatching at the beginning of the rainy period, when young growth provides an abundance of food for offspring.

IN mating season, which lasts about two weeks, males choose the place of future mating, mark the territory with the help of secretions from the pores in the lower limbs, and become aggressive towards nearby rivals. In the wild, direct collisions between them are quite rare; in the event of a threat, a weaker lizard in the event of a conflict prefers to leave someone else's territory, rather than enter into a fight.

If the opportunity to escape is limited (in particular, when kept in captivity), then animals can bite each other. The demonstrative behavior of the male is frequent shaking of the head, swelling of the throat pouch and changing the color of the body to a brighter, more saturated one. The combination of polygyny with polyandry is typical for the species, that is, often one male simultaneously cares for several females, and the female cohabitates with several males. During courtship, males sniff and lightly bite females on the neck.

Pregnancy lasts about 65 days, at the end of which the females leave their traditional habitats along the banks of the rivers, and along the channels of the streams flowing into them they go upstream to dry sandbanks and dunes. A hole is dug in the sand with a depth of 45 cm to 1 m, where the female lays a large number, 20 to 71, of eggs for three or more days.

The eggs are white, 35-40 mm long, about 15.4 mm in diameter, with a leathery and soft but durable shell. In case of a shortage of suitable places, several lizards can use one pit at the same time. In Panama, cases of sharing the same hole by an iguana and an American crocodile are known, and in Honduras by an iguana and a crocodile caiman ( Caiman crocodilus). After laying eggs, the lizard carefully fills the hole and leaves the place, no longer caring about the offspring.

Incubation lasts from 90 to 120 days at a temperature environment 30-32°C. Cubs are born usually in May, breaking through the shell with the help of a special fleshy outgrowth on the forehead - caruncles, and getting out to the surface of the earth. In their color and shape, they almost do not differ from adults, however, they have only a slightly pronounced crest.

Young lizards are completely independent, although when they are born they may carry a small yolk sac containing a nutrient mixture for the first one to two weeks. The brood stays together during the first year of life. In the group, males cover females with their bodies from predators - a feature noted only in this species among all other reptiles.

In the wild, iguanas live on average for about 8 years. In captivity at proper care The green iguana can live over 20 years.

Unlike most other species of the family, green iguanas are exclusively herbivorous, eating leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits of about 100 species. tropical plants. So, in Panama, one of the favorite delicacies of the lizard is the Jamaican plum (Spondias mombin).

Other types of woody vegetation, the greenery and fruits of which iguanas most often feed on in nature are the frankincense tree (Bursera simaruba), erect tecoma (Tecoma stans), pointed annona (Annona acuminata), panicled vine (Amphilophium paniculatum), merremia ambellata (Merremia umbellata). ) and etc.

Young lizards often eat the excrement of adult animals in order to fill their needs for the microflora necessary for the digestion of low-calorie vegetarian food. Animals are not able to chew food, they only cut large enough pieces with their small teeth and immediately swallow them whole. Occasionally, iguanas drink water by immersing part of their head in a pond and swallowing it, or lick drops from greenery.

Sometimes in the reference literature there are reports that iguanas in the wild also feed on insects. Another source claims that lizards also eat bird eggs and carrion. However, no published academic study confirms that animals metabolize animal proteins.

Moreover, all publications say that all the components necessary for the development of lizards are obtained from feed only of plant origin, and protein diet harmful to their health. Insects and other small invertebrates can indeed be in the stomachs of lizards, but experts believe that they are only accidentally swallowed along with plant foods: for example, an iguana can swallow an insect sitting on a flower bed along with a flower.

In addition, a hungry lizard can eat an animal for lack of other food. On the other hand, observations at the Miami Seaquarium and Key Biscayne in Florida have documented iguanas eating dead fish. In his book, Philippe De Vosjoly claims that in captivity, without any harm to their health, lizards can eat rodent meat.

In ancient times, the inhabitants of the Maya civilization believed that the world was located inside a giant house, and four iguanas, which the Indians called "Itzam" (Itzam), play the role of its walls. Each iguana symbolized a certain side of the world and had its own special color. In the sky, the tails of the iguanas converged, thus forming a roof. This Mayan house was called "Itzam-na" (Itzam Na, literally "iguana-house").

In the classical period, in some cities, itzamna was revered as a god, personifying not only the iguana, but everything in the world. God was so great and all-encompassing that he was rarely depicted in drawings. At the end of the classical period, the use of the image of the iguana as a deity gradually ceased, however, in the 16th century, the Spanish missionary Diego de Landa observed how the Indians sacrificed a green iguana to the gods.

The Indians of the Moche culture, which developed in the west of Peru, also worshiped many animals, including the green iguana.

Numerous figurines and images of this lizard have survived, including in the Larco Museum in Lima. Also, one of the most common characters in the drawings is a humanoid deity with the head, crest and tail of an iguana. This deity, often in company with another deity in the form of a man with a heavily wrinkled face and round eyes, is one of the key figures in the funeral procession.

scientific classification


  • Kingdom: Animals

  • Type: Chordates

  • Class: Reptiles

  • Order: Scaled

  • Suborder: Lizards

  • Family: Iguana

  • Genus: Real iguanas

  • Species: Common iguana



Pets are different: someone loves affectionate and graceful cats, someone likes the devotion and loyalty of dogs. Many people like to watch underwater inhabitants for hours or listen to the sonorous voices of birds. And exotic lovers prefer the company of reptiles, one of which is our today's heroine - an ordinary green iguana.

Habitat

The species Iguana-iguana belongs to the genus Real iguanas of the Iguana family. This homeland is Mexico, from where the species has spread and is now widely represented in South and Central America, it was also introduced to Florida.

The common iguana prefers to settle in tropical rainforests and dense thickets on the banks of rivers. This tree view reptiles, and therefore they spend most of their lives in trees.

Common iguana: description

Today, this lizard is increasingly seen in home terrariums. The common iguana (you can see the photo in the article) is a large animal. An adult individual reaches a length of 1.5 meters (with a tail), although real giants are often found - up to two meters or more. The size of the lizard depends on age and sex: males are much larger than females. What does the common green iguana look like? Photos published in various publications for naturalists demonstrate how diverse representatives of this species are.

Some individuals have thickened skin protrusions located on the upper part of the nose. They are small, barely noticeable, and can reach huge sizes. Some lizards may have several such "horns". The diversity of the species is also manifested in the color of these lizards. Although they are called green, in fact they are not always so. An ordinary iguana can be painted in a wide variety of shades of green: from saturated to very light. Blotches of various shades of blue are allowed.

In nature, there are also rare representatives of the species, with a color that differs from most animals of this species.

brown iguanas

This is a common iguana, the description of which in reference books confirms that this lizard can be tan, brown or cream in color. Sometimes such a shade may be unnatural, but caused by stress or illness of the animal.

blue lizards

Such an ordinary iguana comes from Peru. The rich turquoise skin color distinguishes these lizards. The iris of the eyes of such individuals is usually reddish-brown. Throughout the body, tail, in the folds of the skin are thin black stripes.

Blue color can be in very young ordinary animals, but with age it changes to green.

Red morph

In nature, this color does not exist: it is obtained artificially. The common red morph iguana acquires this skin color due to nutritional characteristics. Animals are fed with pigmented natural fruits and vegetables - red bell pepper, for example, or artificially pigmented fish food (for parrot fish). Naturally, these products do not replace the main diet, but are only an additive.

Do not be alarmed if an ordinary iguana at home will change color. These lizards change it during their life, and it depends on their condition and conditions of detention. Juveniles change color during molting, adults can change color under the influence of temperatures: if the animal is cold, its color darkens, and in the heat it turns pale. Most males change their color a few months before the mating season. Wavy bright orange stripes appear on their body at the chin, on the body and paws, on the spikes.

But if your pet's color turns dark grey, dark brown, yellow, or black, you should see a veterinarian to determine the cause of the change, as in most cases this could be a sign of an illness or disease. adverse conditions content. At good care for this reptile, its life expectancy is on average up to 12 years, although there are also centenarians who live up to 18 years.

Lifestyle

The common iguana is a diurnal animal. It is active in the morning and evening (before sunset). At this time in vivo the lizard climbs the trees, where it enjoys basking in the sun. This is necessary for reptiles to produce vitamin D and thermoregulation.

The common iguana is not only an excellent tree climber, it is also a first-class swimmer. It is water that saves the lizard in case of danger. Subject to the conditions of keeping a green iguana, the owner will be surprised by the calm and docile nature of an unusual pet.

A young lizard can be tamed by taking it often in your arms: it quickly gets used to it and becomes tame.

It would seem that you can immediately purchase a more spacious terrarium, but experts believe that a young lizard feels more confident and secure in a smaller volume. In such conditions, it will be much easier to tame it.

For an adult, the terrarium must be spacious so that the animal is not only completely placed in it, but there is also room for a pool, which is vital for green iguanas. Minimum size for an adult - 80x70x120 cm.

Terrarium decoration

According to experienced owners, the most the best option to cover the floor of the terrarium - a rubber mat-lawn. It will not only give a more attractive look, but also allow you to keep the lizard's house clean: it will not start microorganisms that can harm your pet's health. Before placing such a rug, it should be washed and well ventilated so that the reptile is not irritated by extraneous odors.

You will also need a spacious pool, since it is in the water that the reptile defecates. For this reason, the water must be cleaned and changed regularly. Lighting for a green iguana is considered comfortable daylight hours of at least twelve hours. Try to imitate circadian rhythms. In this case, the reptile will feel more comfortable in captivity.

A prerequisite for keeping an iguana at home is Fluorescent Lamp with UVB emitter. This simple device will help your lizard produce the vitamin D it needs. sunny days the terrarium can be taken outside so that the lizard enjoys the natural sunlight. But at the same time, direct rays should not fall on it, since the glass will get very hot and change the microclimate of the terrarium.

Temperature

For the green iguana, multi-level temperature regime. This is due to the fact that reptiles are cold-blooded. The general temperature in the terrarium should not fall below +28 °C, at the warming point this figure increases to +35 °C, and at night it may decrease to +20 °C. The lamp at the warming point should be placed at a safe distance (20 cm) above the top branch in the terrarium. The water temperature in the pool is not higher than +25 °С.

Humidity

Like most tropical animals, iguanas need at least 80% humidity. To achieve this level, you can place an aquarium heater (previously well insulated) in the pool: it will maintain the required temperature of the water and create evaporation that will help maintain humidity. In addition, you should spray three times a day warm water terrarium.

Feeding

green iguana feeds on dandelion leaves, clover, lettuce, loves various fruits. It is cooler towards vegetables, although this largely depends on taste preferences your lizard. It is not recommended to give cabbage to your exotic pet. It is advisable to add germinated mung bean, especially when the offspring are being fed, as it is rich in protein.

While the lizard is young, it can be pampered with insects (in small quantities). For this fit crickets, zofobas. The salad, which is 70% leafy greens and the remaining 30% chopped vegetables and fruits, will be a delight for your common iguana to eat. Nutrition in the life of this reptile has great importance, but do not forget about vitamins: they should be given twice a week. Place a feeder with crushed shells or eggshells in the terrarium: such a treat will become a source of calcium.

Common iguana: breeding

Green iguanas reach sexual maturity between one and a half and three years of age. You will know that the mating season is approaching by the changed color. In males, the mating season lasts about a month, and in females no more than ten days.

After mating, the female carries and then lays eggs for two months. It is advisable to transplant the females into a separate terrarium during this period. The clutch consists of 40 or more eggs. It is removed and transferred to an incubator with a temperature of +32 °C. Babies are born after 90 days. During the period of gestation, the female needs in large numbers calcium and protein foods.

Detachment - lizards

Family - iguanas

Genus/Species - iguana iguana

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: 1.6-2 m.

Weight up to 4 kg.

BREEDING

Puberty: from 3 years old.

Mating period: depends on the region.

Number of eggs: 25-60.

Carrying: once a year.

Incubation: up to 90 days.

LIFE STYLE

Habits: sometimes lives in groups; active during the day.

What does it eat: leaves, berries, fruits and other plants; young iguanas also eat invertebrates.

RELATED SPECIES

One of the species of this genus is rare view, which lives only in the Caribbean.

The green iguana is an impressive lizard. She has a long tail and big head and really makes a strange impression. Her throat pouch and spiked crest are designed to frighten anyone who approaches her. But despite their terrifying appearance, these iguanas are peaceful herbivores.

WHAT DOES IT FEED

The iguana's main food is plants and animals. The diet of an iguana varies with age. Adult animals feed on plants, although in some areas they also eat small mammals and chicks. From plants, reptiles collect leaves, berries and sweet fruits, and also feed on young shoots.

Juvenile iguanas are more brightly colored than adults, as they usually feed on insects and their larvae, spiders, and small invertebrates, for which they often descend to the ground. Sometimes iguanas eat the carrion they find.

The green iguana grows throughout its life. If there is not enough food, the iguana loses weight and sometimes survives only by using its own fat reserves accumulated during the period when there was plenty of food. The female uses the same reserves when digging a hole for the nest, when she does not eat at all.

BREEDING

The mating behavior of green iguanas has been carefully studied by researchers. After mating, the fertilized female lays her eggs in a 30 cm deep hole, which she digs in the ground. A constant temperature is maintained in the hole, which is necessary for the development of the cubs. The hole is also a hiding place from enemies.

The female of this reptile digs a hole with its front limbs, and throws the earth out of it with its hind limbs. While digging a hole, she sometimes leaves the place of "work" to rest. At the end of the hole, the female makes a depression in which she lays her eggs. The number of eggs depends on the size of the female and ranges from 25 to 60. Then the female diligently fills the hole and rams the ground with her head. After that, she runs past it several times to confuse the tracks and close the access of predators to the eggs.The cubs hatch, depending on the temperature, after 65-70 days.The newborn cubs of the iguana are bright green in color, 20 cm long.

HABITS

In most areas of residence, the green iguana is quite numerous. Her natural places habitats - marshlands, sea coasts and savannah, however, the most familiar habitat for iguanas is the rainforest.

The iguana climbs trees well, deftly jumping from branch to branch, and therefore inhabits all tiers of the rain forest - from the ground to the crowns of trees, even at a height of up to 30-40 m. The iguana descends to the ground in the evening, in search of food. She hides in the jungle among the leaves of the trees. The iguana usually rests on the branches of trees, basking in the sun. Despite the massive body, it easily moves along thin branches. A frightened iguana rushes to the ground even from a height of 5-6 meters and runs hiding in green thickets.

The lizard is happy to be on the branches located above the water, and in case of danger it jumps down, remaining in the water for up to several minutes, until the danger passes.

GREEN IGUANA AND HUMAN

The delicious white meat of iguanas and their eggs are an important source of food for many people living in South America. Thanks to the unusual, shocking appearance iguanas, they are willingly bred by amateurs, so they have become a subject of trade. However, in the hands of inexperienced people, many green iguanas die.

  • Sensing danger, the iguana straightens the spikes on its back and thus tries to scare the enemy.
  • If the iguana is in a stalemate, he goes on the offensive, using sharp teeth and claws and striking like a whip with his strong muscular tail.
  • The adult green iguana has little natural enemies, with the exception of large wild cats, crocodiles and boas. The big danger for young iguanas are predator birds and other species of lizards, which often prey on young individuals.
  • On a small island off the coast of Panama, there is an area of ​​50 m 2 where about 200 green iguanas gather annually to lay their eggs there.
  • Sometimes several females lay their eggs in one recess - this will subsequently help newborn cubs to get to the earth's surface faster.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE GREEN IGUANA

Young iguana: lighter coloration, unexpressed throat pouch and spines on the back.

adult male: grey-green scales, a throat pouch and long, curved dorsal spines along the spine.

adult female: she has a lighter body compared to the male, spikes on her back and a smaller throat pouch.

claws: long and curved, help to hold firmly on the branch. The female uses them for digging.

Tail: three times as long as the body, muscular, slightly laterally compressed. In case of danger, it is used as a weapon.


- Habitat of the green iguana

WHERE Dwells

Numerous populations are tropical zone America, from southern Mexico to Paraguay and southern Brazil. It also lives on some islands in the Caribbean.

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION

Today, the green iguana is not threatened with extinction, however, in many places the population is endangered as a result of hunting and trapping for meat and keeping in terrariums.

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Iguanas are huge lizards. The iguana family includes 70 genera and 600 species distributed almost exclusively in the Western Hemisphere, from southern Canada in the north to southern Argentina in the south, including some islands off the coast of the South and North America. Few representatives are found off the coast of Africa, on the islands of Fiji and Tongo.

Perhaps no other group of modern lizards has such a variety of life forms and associated differences in body structure as iguanas. Their coloration depends on the way of life and is subject to significant variability from temperature, brightness of light or the nature of the soil.

Most iguanas are carnivores, feeding on insects, spiders, worms, etc. Some, larger ones, also eat small vertebrates, mainly lizards. Only a relatively few species, such as the common iguana, feed almost exclusively on plant foods as adults.

For more than two years I have been interested in lizards, reading special literature, observing and trying to keep these amazing, exotic animals at home. During this time, an iguana named Kuzya became my devoted friend. If you are interested in these animals, and you decide to have them at home, you should read the recommendations for their content.

An iguana terrarium should mimic the conditions of a tropical rainforest while remaining clean, ventilated and easy to maintain. For a young lizard, a 100-150 liter aquarium is suitable for the first time. Instead of an airtight hood, a metal mesh cover should be installed. It is advisable to use a stainless mesh in the terrarium should be constantly wet, and for air exchange, drill a few more holes in the side walls. For heating, an incandescent lamp is installed in the terrarium.

For a young iguana, it is necessary to have two lamps - for day and night heating and three thermometers located in different places(in the coldest, directly under the lamp, and at the maximum distance from the lamp). By changing the power of the lamps, it is necessary to ensure that the first thermometer shows 31-35 ° C, the second 27-28 ° C, and the third not less than 25 ° C. For heating at night, it is better to use colored lamps that will not cause continuous activity of the animal, which adversely affects its health and prevents the owners from sleeping.

Iguanas feel most comfortable on branches, so the terrarium should have branches inside different thickness. The places where the cuts of branches are attached to the walls of the terrarium must be carefully lapped and fixed, since getting into the gap of a finger or tail is the most common cause of their injury or separation. In order for lizards to feel comfortable, they need to prepare a shelter where they can hide. In addition to the branches in the terrarium, it is necessary to place shelves for rest, ropes for climbing.

The terrarium can be planted with some plants with dense, hard leaves, after covering the ground large stones. The soil should be as hygroscopic as possible, chemically inert, not loose, not soaking, not dusty, and therefore hygienic. The terrarium must be kept perfectly clean at all times. For disinfection, low-toxic iodophors can be used and washed with laundry soap feeders and drinkers at least twice a week.

For the normal development of an iguana at home, they need to receive moisture from several sources and independently regulate the water balance. Reptiles get moisture from food, while drinking, and through the skin while bathing. Many iguanas do not know how to drink from a drinker. In order for them to start drinking, they must see the movement of a liquid or the reflection of light on the surface of the water. The parameters described for keeping iguanas at home are suitable for young lizards, as the animal grows, the terrarium is selected bigger size and some environmental conditions change.

Considering that under the right conditions, iguanas can easily live for more than 15 years, one would think that they should become as common as dogs and cats. But an adult iguana is a rare phenomenon, causing surprise and curiosity. The reason is the difficulty of keeping these animals. Unfortunately, most beginner reptile hobbyists, especially iguanas, don't get into the details of their biological maintenance until the animals need veterinary help. Most often this happens quite quickly, when the animal can no longer be saved. Do not repeat the mistakes of others, and good luck to you.

Source: Ordinary or green iguana: features of keeping at home//Zooforum. - 2006. No. - 1

Recently, exotic animals have become popular as pets. Instead of the usual fish, parrots and turtles, moms and dads buy their children giant spiders, snakes, lizards. Animal iguana is also included in the list of beloved pets.

Those who have ever seen an iguana in a pet store probably know that she seems to be thinking about something all the time: she will freeze in one position and only occasionally blink her eyes. And how does this animal behave in conditions wildlife? What does it eat and where does it live?

The common iguana, also called the green iguana, is a reptile belonging to the squamous order, the iguana family.

What does a green iguana look like?

Among all members of its family, the common iguana is the largest. The length of her body can reach 1.5 meters, while an adult weighs, on average, 7 kilograms.

The body of the animal has a varied color, despite the name "green". The common iguana can be bluish, lavender, pink, red, bluish, and even black. The iguana is a cold-blooded animal. Therefore, it is very susceptible to temperature changes.

As for the sense organs of this reptile, we can note excellent hearing, sharp eyesight in bright light. In addition to two eyes, the head of the animal is also equipped with a third, located on the top of the head. Thanks to this eye (it looks like a white scale), the iguana catches the approach of the enemy in time and hides. The iguana is an excellent swimmer, a rather flexible tail helps her in this. The tail also serves as a defensive weapon - with it the animal inflicts heavy blows on the enemy.


To say that iguanas are only green is impossible. Their coloration can be very varied.

Where do common iguanas live?

The habitat of this animal is quite wide. The green iguana is found almost everywhere Latin America, in some countries of South America (for example, in Brazil), and also inhabits some US states. In addition, this representative of the iguana family got along well in the Caribbean.

iguana lifestyle

The green iguana is an arboreal animal: most of its life takes place on trees. For its residence, it chooses tropical rainforests, tree thickets, but it is also found on open sea coasts.


Active during the daytime. When the weather becomes inclement, the iguana will come down to the ground and spend time there, this helps him to better maintain the temperature balance of his body.

What does the tree iguana eat?

The common iguana is an exclusively herbivore. As food, she chooses shoots, flowers and fruits of plants growing in tropical zones.

iguana breeding

The mating season for these reptiles begins in January - February. At this time, males become quite aggressive; in the fight for a female, iguana fights can often be observed, although in ordinary life this animal is quite peaceful.


65 days after mating, the female digs deep hole and lays 20 to 70 eggs in it. Eggs have a soft but very durable shell. After 3 - 4 months (if the temperature for the entire incubation period was 30 - 32 degrees), small iguana cubs are born. Outwardly, they are very similar to adult iguanas, differing only in size. Cubs are quite independent. But for the first year of their lives, all hatched "babies" try to keep together in order to be able to defend themselves from enemy attacks. In the third - fourth year of their lives, iguana cubs reach full maturity, including sexual maturity.


Scientists have noted that under natural environment animals can only live up to 8 years, while as a pet iguana can live two and a half times longer.