Added 11 January 2015.
Striking lizards with crests, somewhat resembling some of the Asian agamids. They are found in tropical forests from South Mexico to northeast Colombia.
Boulenger gives the characteristics of the genus as follows: tympanum distinct; head with two sharp ridges uniting posteriorly into an elevated bony crest directed upwards and backwards; bony supraorbital arch formed by prefrontal and postfrontal; body compressed, covered with imbricate smooth or keeled scales; nuchal crest, attached to cranial crest; low dorsal crest; gular pouch and transverse gular fold; infradigital lamellae keeled; femoral pores absent; tail long, feebly compressed; lateral teeth tricuspid, pterygoid teeth; no sternal fontanelle; no abdominal ribs.
Unlike many iguanids, including their close relatives the basilisks, at least two of the Corytophanes species are slow-moving and depend upon camouflage for their defence.
Although attractive to hobbyists, these species have a reputation for being somewhat difficult to keep and are therefore recommended for specialists rather than beginners. Rogner gives details for C. cristatus, but warns that they are hard to acclimatise and are usually in a poor condition when they reach the keeper. Bosch and Werning suggest the same and add that acquisition of “halfway healthy” animals is one of the main problems.
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Corytophanes |
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C. cristatus |
Smooth Helmeted Iguana |
Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia; poss. inc. El Salvador |
SVL 10½-11½cm; tail 2-2½x SVL |
An inhabitant of primary and secondary forest at low to intermediate elevations. This species feeds mainly on arthropods, especially butterfly and beetle larvae and katydids, but also small lizards [Lee]. Gular pouch can be erected when the lizard is excited [Bosch & Werning]. Scalation: nostril slightly nearer to orbit than tip of snout; upper head-scales small and smooth, irregular; no enlarged occipital; enlarged scales on ridges; series of feebly enlarged, non-projecting slightly keeled scales from orbit to above tympanum; 8-10 supralabials and equal number of sublabials; superciliary ridge continuous with parietal; gular region with longitudinal series of small scales separated by granules; strong crest of triangular scales along throat; nuchal crest with serrated edge, descending gradually from cranial crest to dorsal ridge, the latter feebly serrated; more or less distinct fold along either side of back; dorsolateral scales irregular, unequal, smooth, enlarged ones sometimes feebly keeled; ventral scales moderately large, strongly keeled, imbricate, arranged in transverse rows; very large keeled scales on limbs. Tail: more than twice SVL, slender, compressed, above with feebly keeled scales, below with larger strongly keeled ones. Other: upper surface of head between angular ridges is rhomboidal, twice as long as posterior single ridge or crest; tympanum large, vertically oval. Coloration: olive- or reddish-brown above, with irregular blackish-brown spots or crossbands; white spot each on elbow and base of arm; blackish streaks radiate from the eye, extending down to upper lip, one obliquely towards lower border of tympanum, another to its upper border; lower surfaces pale brown, with a few darker spots. Reproduction: nesting probably during summer rainy season [Lee]; female may use head to excavate shallow nest on forest floor; clutch size 5-6 [Lee] or up to 11 [Bosch & Werning] eggs [SOURCES: Bosch and Werning, Boulenger, Lee] |
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C. hernandesii |
Hernandez's Helmeted Iguana |
Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras |
9-11cm SVL; tail approx 2½x SVL |
An inhabitant of lowland tropical forest. Diet is invertebrates, especially insects [Lee]. Scalation: nostril equidistant between orbit and tip of snout; upper head-scales keeled or striated; no enlarged occipital; enlarged scales on ridges; series of feebly enlarged, non-projecting slightly keeled scales from orbit to above tympanum; superciliary ridge continuous with parietal; gular scales elongate, strongly keeled, forming longitudinal series separated by granules; feeble denticulation along throat; nuchal crest small, descending vertically from cranial crest, not continuous with serrated dorsal ridge; distinct fold on scapular and iliac regions; dorsolateral scales irregular, unequal, larger ones keeled; ventral scales large, strongly keeled; large keeled scales on limbs. Tail: more than twice SVL, slender, compressed, above with feebly keeled scales, below with larger strongly keeled ones. Other: upper surface of head constricted behind superciliary ridge, which ends in an angle; parietal ridges unite only a short distance in front of extremity of helmet; large bony tubercle or spine above tympanum. Coloration: olive-brown above, with irregular blackish-brown spots or crossbands; eyelids and space between orbit and tympanum blackish-brown; lips with or without dark vertical bars; lower surfaces brownish, with darker spots. Reproduction: nesting probably during summer rainy season [Lee]; female may use head to excavate shallow nest on forest floor; clutch size 3-4 eggs [Lee] [SOURCES: Bosch and Werning, Boulenger, Lee]. |
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C. percarinatus |
Keeled Helmeted Iguana |
Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras |
SVL 11½cm; TL 30cm |
Found mainly in Guatemala, with range extending across border with El Salvador and very narrowly into Honduras [IUCN]. Lives at 200-2,200m elevation: most records are from above 1,000m, including in Guatemala City [ibid] Scalation: nostril equidistant between orbit and tip of snout; upper head-scales keeled or striated; no enlarged occipital; enlarged scales on ridges; series of feebly enlarged, non-projecting slightly keeled scales from orbit to above tympanum; superciliary ridge continuous with parietal; gular scales elongate, strongly keeled, forming longitudinal series separated by granules; strong crest of triangular scales along throat; nuchal crest with serrated edge, descending gradually from cranial crest to serrated dorsal ridge; more or less distinct fold along either side of back; dorsolateral scales irregular, unequal, smooth, enlarged ones sometimes feebly keeled; ventral scales moderately large, strongly keeled, imbricate, arranged in transverse rows; very large keeled scales on limbs. Tail: more than twice SVL, slender, compressed, above with feebly keeled scales, below with larger strongly keeled ones. Other: upper surface of head constricted behind superciliary ridge; parietal ridges unite only a short distance in front of extremity of helmet; tympanum large, vertically oval. Coloration: olive- or reddish-brown above, with irregular blackish-brown spots or crossbands; white spot each on elbow and base of arm; blackish streaks radiate from the eye, extending down to upper lip, one obliquely towards lower border of tympanum, another to its upper border; lower surfaces pale brown, with a few darker spots. Reproduction: viviparous [SOURCES: Boulenger, IUCN]. |
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has useful information on C. percarinatus.
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