Iguana

This article is about the genus. For the best known species, see Green iguana. For the family of related lizards, see Iguanidae. For other uses, see Iguana (disambiguation).

Iguana
Temporal range: Holocene–Recent[1][2]
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A green iguana (Iguana iguana)
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[3]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Iguanidae
Genus: Iguana
Laurenti, 1768
Type species
Iguana iguana
Linnaeus, 1758
Species
Synonyms
  • Hypsilophus Wagler, 1830
A male green iguana

Iguana (/ɪˈɡwɑːnə/,[4][5] 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 in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena. 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. Genetic analysis indicates that the green iguana may comprise a complex of multiple species, some of which have been recently described, but the Reptile Database considers all of these as subspecies of the green iguana.[6][7]

The word "iguana" is derived from the original Taino name for the species, iwana.[8] In addition to the two species in the genus Iguana, several other related genera in the same family have common names of the species including the word "iguana".[9]

The species is a popular quarry for pets, and non-native animals have been widely introduced beyond its native area, into Ishigaki Island, the Florida Peninsula, Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and including numerous islands with native Iguana populations in the Lesser Antilles.[7][10]

  1. ^ "Fossil works: Iguana iguana". Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  2. ^ "Fossil works: Iguanidae". Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  3. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference cambridge1115 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference oxford5632 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Breuil, M.; Schikorski, D.; Vuillaume, B.; Krauss, U.; Morton, M.N.; Corry, E.; Bech, N.; Jelić, M.; Grandjean, F. (2020). "Painted black: Iguana melanoderma (Reptilia, Squamata, Iguanidae) a new melanistic endemic species from Saba and Montserrat islands (Lesser Antilles)". ZooKeys (926): 95–131. Bibcode:2020ZooK..926...95B. doi:10.3897/zookeys.926.48679. PMC 7170970. PMID 32336922.
  7. ^ a b "Iguana iguana". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Coles was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Wildlife Review. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 1968.
  10. ^ van den Burg, M. P.; Goetz, M.; Brannon, L.; Weekes, T. S.; Ryan, K. V.; Debrot, A. O. (23 March 2023). "An integrative approach to assess non‐native iguana presence on Saba and Montserrat: Are we losing all native <i>Iguana</i> populations in the Lesser Antilles?". Animal Conservation. doi:10.1111/acv.12869. eISSN 1469-1795. hdl:10261/306882. ISSN 1367-9430. S2CID 257731680.