Iguana

Iguana (/ɪˈɡwɑːnə/, Spanish: iˈɣwana) is a genus of herbivorous lizards that are native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The genus was first described by Austrian naturalist J.N. Laurenti in 1768. Two species are placed in the genus: The green iguana, which is widespread throughout its range and a popular pet; and the Lesser Antillean iguana, which is native to the Lesser Antilles.

The word "iguana" comes from the original Taino name for the species, iwana. These iguanas are popular pets, and many have been taken to places far from their home, such as Ishigaki Island, the Florida Peninsula, Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and islands in the Lesser Antilles.

Iguanas are interesting because they eat only plants and can grow very large, making them special in the world of reptiles.

Anatomy and physiology

Iguanas are large lizards that can grow from 1.2 to 2.0 metres long, including their tails. They have special skin folds called a dewlap and rows of special scales along their backs from their necks to their tails. Their scales come in different shapes and colors, helping them blend into their surroundings to stay safe from bigger animals.

Iguanas have excellent vision, allowing them to see shapes, colors, and movement far away. This helps them find food and move through forests. They also have a special organ on the back of their heads called the parietal eye, which helps them tell the difference between day and night. Iguanas eat only plants, so their strong jaws and special teeth help them chew and digest leaves and other vegetation.

Phylogeny

The green iguana is part of a group of reptiles called iguanians. Scientists have studied how iguanas are related to other reptiles and found interesting connections. Some studies show that iguanians are closely related to snakes and certain lizards, while others suggest they are more closely related to a type of skink called the mole skink.

Iguanians, including the green iguana, are special because they can stick out their tongues to catch food, unlike most other reptiles. They also mainly use their eyes to find food and wait quietly to catch it, instead of searching around. There are two main species of iguanas: the green iguana, which is found in many places, and the Lesser Antillean iguana, which lives on islands in the Caribbean. Scientists sometimes debate how to classify these iguanas, but generally, they recognize several subspecies of the green iguana based on where they live.

Image	Scientific name	Common name	Distribution
	Iguana delicatissima	Lesser Antillean iguana	The Lesser Antilles on Saint Barth, Anguilla, Sint Eustatius, Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Martinique. Historically inhabited all islands between Anguilla and Martinique, except Saba and Montserrat (and perhaps Redonda).
	Iguana iguana	Green iguana	Most of South America, from Colombia east to French Guiana and south to northern Argentina. Also introduced to parts of the Caribbean. If other species formerly considered conspecific are included, ranges north to southern Mexico and the southern Caribbean; specifically Grenada, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Saba (island), Montserrat and Útila.

Image	Subspecies	Common name	Distribution
	I. i. insularis	Grenadines horned iguana	St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada
	Iguana iguana melanoderma	Saban black iguana	Saba, Montserrat, and formerly Redonda, but also possibly coastal Venezuela, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. At least parts of this range may derive from historic introduction.
	I. i. sanctaluciae	Saint Lucia horned iguana	St. Lucia

As food

In some places, iguanas are eaten as food. In Mexico and Central America, people have cooked and eaten iguana meat for a long time. In other areas, like the Dominican Republic and parts of the United States such as Puerto Rico, iguana meat is also eaten. In some Latin American countries like Nicaragua and Colombia, people eat iguana eggs too.

Ecology

Iguanas are important plants-eaters in the places where they live, especially on islands. They help plants grow by eating leaves and flowers, and they help spread seeds by eating fruits. Female iguanas lay many eggs, which give food to animals that eat them. The tunnels they dig for their nests also help other animals by making the soil easier to move through. For example, the Lesser Antillean iguana can dig nests as deep as 1.65 metres underground.