Ctenosaura similis

Male Animal, and two females ( Barra Honda National Park, Costa Rica)

The Common Black Iguana ( Ctenosaura similis ) is a lizard of the family of iguanas ( Iguanidae ). It occurs in Central America from southern Mexico to Panama and Colombia's Caribbean islands of Providencia and San Andrés.

Features

The males are fully grown about one meter long, the female remain somewhat smaller. The coloring of the young animals is green. Later they turn over gray to black around. Between her Schwanzwirteln are more than a number of granular scales.

Way of life

Full-grown Common Black iguanas live high in the trees in sparse forests and vegetated cliffs. Young animals are bottom dwellers. The diet consists of fruit, insects, crustaceans, small mammals, and small birds and their eggs. Older, large animals feed almost exclusively vegetarian.

Subspecies

We have described two subspecies:

• Ctenosaura similis similis (GRAY 1831) and
• Ctenosaura similis multipunctata BARBOUR & SHREVE 1934