Added 7 January 2014.
A genus of 2 species that inhabit Mexico and Central America as far south as Nicaragua. They are easily distinguished by the backward-pointing casque at the back of the skull.
Boulenger gives the following characteristics of the genus: tympanum distinct; head plane above, shelving forwards, occipital region more or less raised and produced beyond the occiput; body compressed, covered with imbricate keeled scales; dorsal crest feebly developed or absent; strong transverse gular fold; no gular pouch; limbs very long; infradigital lamellae with median, tubercle-like keel; no femoral pores; tail very long, round; lateral teeth tricuspid; pterygoid teeth; clavicle loop-shaped proximally; no sternal fontanelle; no abdominal ribs.
The two species can be told apart by the fact that L. serratus has a middorsal row of enlarged scales, whereas in L. longipes the dorsal scales are of a similar size to those on the side of its body. The casque appears to be more rounded at the back on L. longipes than on L. serratus. Lee states that L. longipes apparently is restricted to more moist situations than those occupied by L. serratus.
These are diurnal and arboreal animals, living mainly on insects, although Lee states that snails, small lizards and frogs are also reported in their diet. He also reports that L. serratus is sometimes observed running awkwardly on its back legs across roads, rather as the closely related basilisks do across water. Otherwise the lizards generally rely on their cryptic coloration and stealth both to prey and to evade detection.
These lizards, also known as Cone-Heads, are sometimes seen in the pet trade, though I am not sure if I have ever seen them in the UK. One author described them as not particularly bright. Husbandry details can be found in Rogner: so far I have not been able to find any other sources, although I believe at one point one of R D Bartlett's titles covered Laemanctus together with certain other species.
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QUICK INDEX |
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L. longipes, Eastern Casquehead Iguana |
L. serratus, Serrated Casquehead Iguana |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Laemanctus |
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Eastern Casquehead Iguana |
Mexico (Veracruz, Colima, Oaxaca, Yucatan), Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, NW Honduras |
SVL 4¾-5”/12½-14cm; tail approx 3½x SVL |
Found in lowland tropical forests, in low and moderately elevated areas. See Lee for distribution and habitat in Yucatán Peninsula. Scalation details: scales on forehead much larger than those on back [Boulenger]; series of enlarged conical scales borders posterior margin of casque; scales of vertebral row not larger than lateral scales. Coloration: dorsally mainly light green; narrow dark green and black vertical bars; bars continue on to tail as dark rings; ventrally light green; distinct white or cream stripe from axilla to groin on ventrolateral surfaces; head dorsally yellow-green; posterior edge of casque edged with black or dark brown; head laterally light green; narrow white, cream or yellowish stripe on supralabials running over neck on to upper arm. Reproduction: female nests in rotting logs in leaf litter and lays 3-5 eggs in summer rainy season; hatchlings appear in late summer [SOURCE: Lee] |
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L. l. longipes |
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Mexico (C Veracruz) |
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See also notes on status in Reptile Database entry. |
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L. l. deborrei |
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Mexico (Veracruz, Colima, Oaxaca, Yucatan), Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua |
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See also notes in Reptile Database entry. Scalation details: scales on forehead not or scarcely larger than those on back [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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L. l. waltersi |
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NW Honduras |
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Juveniles from Isla Carmen have distinctive orange markings on the sides of the head and around their eyes [Grismer]. |
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Serrated Casquehead Iguana |
Mexico (Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Campeche, Yucatán), Belize, Honduras, Guatemala |
SVL 4¾-5”/12-13cm; tail approx 3½x SVL |
Found in lowland tropical forests, in low and moderately elevated areas. See Lee for distribution and habitat in Yucatán Peninsula. Scalation details: series of enlarged conical scales borders posterior margin of casque; scales of vertebral row enlarged, forming low serrated middorsal crest. Coloration: usually green but can change rapidly to brown; green phase is light green with 4-6 (normally 5) dark brown bands; bands are most distinct in middorsal area, tending to break up on sides of body, continue on to tail, becoming indistinct posteriorly; dorsal surfaces of limbs light green with indistinct irregular brown band and reticulations; white or cream spot usually above and behind insertion of forelimbs; ventrally generally lighter green, with few or no dark markings; distinct white or cream stripe from axilla to groin on ventrolateral surfaces; dorsal and lateral surfaces of head light green with few small dark markings; distinct white stripe below eye and tympanum running onto side of neck, usually joining ventrolateral stripe; stripe on side of head usually bordered above by brown or black; brown phase has light- to medium tan overall colour. Reproduction: female excavates shallow nest in leaf litter and lays 3-7 eggs in summer rainy season; hatchlings appear in late summer [SOURCE: Lee] |
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L. s. serratus |
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Mexico (Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, N & C Veracruz), Belize, Honduras, Guatemala |
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Scalation details: 57-61 scale rows at midbody [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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L. s. alticoronatus |
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Mexico (Yucatán) |
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Scalation details: 46-51 scale rows at midbody [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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L. s. mccoyi |
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Mexico (S Veracruz) |
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Reptilia article on L. serratus
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