Added June 2005.

A look at the

Genus Ctenosaura - Spiny-Tailed Iguanas

Family IGUANIDAE [IGUANINAE]



Genus Ctenosaura - Spiny-Tailed Iguanas

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NOTES: "Hispaniola" here refers to Haiti and Western Dominica. Unless otherwise stated, all islands are in the Caribbean region.

Scientific Name Common Name Distribution Size Notes
C. acanthura Mexican Spinytail Cuba TL 1.4m (m), 1m (f) ??.
C. alfredschmidti   Mexico (Campeche), Guatemala 8" ??.
C. bakeri Baker's Spinytail Iguana, Isla de Utilla Iguana Honduras (Utila Island and a few neighbouring islands) ?" ??.
C. clarki Michoacan Club-Tail, Balsas Armed Lizard W Mexico (Michoacan) TL 18-28 cm (m), 16-20 cm (f) Known mainly from Tepalcatepec Valley.
C. defensor Yucatán Spinytail Iguana, Lagartijo de Maya Iguana Mexico (Campeche, Yucatan) TL 16-20 cm (m), 14-18 cm (f) ??.
C. flavidorsalis   Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala 3-4?" Originally considered a form of C. quinquecarinata.
C. hemilopha Cape Spinytail Iguana NW Mexico (SE Baja California, Sonora, Sinaloa, W Chihuahua and islands in the Gulf of California) Max SVL 30cm Identifiable in its region by single slightly enlarged middorsal scale row forming a weak crest
C. h. hemilopha
Baja Iguana Cuba, Honduras, Mexico (Quintana Roo), Belize, Islas de la Bahia 6-8" ??.
C. h. conspicuosa Isla de San Esteban Iguana  Mexico (Isla San Estaban, Sonora) 7½" ??.
C. h. insulana Isla Cerralvo Iguana Mexico (Isla Cerralvo in Gulf of California) 4?" Confined to small island of Alto Velo off the Dominican Republic. No other information available.
C. h. macrolopha Sonoran Spiny-Tailed Iguana  Mexico (Sonora south to mid-Sinoloa) 4-5" ??.
C. h. nolascensis Isla San Pedro Nolasco Iguana  Isla San Pedro Nolasco 4" Considered a full species by some authorities, eg Grismer.
C. melanosterna   Honduras 5-6" ??.
C. oaxacana Statia Bank Tree Anole Mexico (Oaxaca) 8-12" ??.
C. oedirhina De Queiroz's Spinytail Iguana, Isla de Roatan Iguana Honduras (Roatan Island) TL 60 cm (m), 40 cm (f)   
C. palearis Paleata Spinytail Iguana SE Guatemala TL 90cm (m), 68 cm (f) ??.
C. pectinata Western Spinytail Iguana W Mexico: USA (introduced into Florida and S Texas) 10" ??.
C. quinquecarinata Oaxacan Spinytail Iguana, Club-Tailed Iguana S Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica TL 25-35 cm (m), 18-25 cm (f), max 25/40cm (f/m) The exceptionally large individuals are found in S Nicaragua [].
C. similis Black Iguana, Garrobo, Central American Spiny-Tailed Iguana S Mexico (Yucatan), Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia (two islands): USA (introduced into Florida) TL 1.5m (m), 1m+ (f) ??.
C. s. similis   Hispaniola, Ile de la Gonave, Ile de la Tortue, Isla Saona; Florida (introduced), Surinam (introduced). ?" ??.
C. s. multipunctata   Puerto Rico and neighbouring islands: Florida (introduced) 7" ??.


Bibliography

Green Iguanas and other Iguanids, Dr Hubert Bosch and Heiko Werning, TFH 1996 (originally published in German, 1991, as Leguane). See Iguanid page for recommendation of this book.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Grismer, L Lee Grismer, University of California Press, 2002. Impressive guide to the herpetofauna of the region.

"Variation, Distribution, and Ecology of the Iguanid Lizard Enyaliosaurus clarki of Michoacan, Mexico", William S Duellman and Ann S Duellman, Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, February 16 1959.

See also Index of Iguanid Related Articles for articles on Anolis species by Jerry G Walls and Axel Flaschendräger, both of which were invaluable.


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