Latin Etymology: Ctenosaura ("comb back lizard") similis ("similar")
Adult Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025
Featured Subspecies: Ctenosaura similis similis
Weight: 1-2kg / Length: 1.3cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
The largest member of the genus Ctenosaura found widely in lowland Coastal regions from the Yucatan to Panama. Primarily herbivorous, they eat most parts of plants, but will opportunistically take smaller animals too. Impressively, they are one of the few animals to eat machineel - a tree of which every part is very toxic to most species. They are considered the fastest lizard in the world and capable of running at 21mph.
Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Iguanidae
Genus: Ctenosaura
SUBSPECIES: C. s similis, C. s. multipunctata
- Sighting Locations -
Common in Pacific Lowlands
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles and Carara
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
No comments:
Post a Comment