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Green Iguana

The green iguana (Iguana iguana) is a large, arboreal lizard from Central and South America.

The green iguana is found over a large geographic area, from Mexico to southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as on the Caribbean Islands.

They are typically about two metres in length from head to tail and can weigh up to five kg.

It is possible to determine the sex of a green iguana by examining the underside of the hind legs.

Males have highly developed pores in this area that secrete scent, and are often covered in a waxy substance.

In addition, the spiny scales that run along an iguana's back are noticeably longer and thicker in males than they are in females.

These lizards have recently become extremely popular in the pet trade.

Note: The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Green Iguana", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

For more information, see the following related content on ScienceDaily:

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Sep. 22, 2008 — A new iguana has been discovered in the central regions of Fiji. The colorful new species, named Brachylophus bulabula, joins only two other living Pacific iguana species, one of which is critically ... read more

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Apr. 23, 2013 — The tree iguana, Liolaemus nigromaculatus, was the second species of the genus Liolaemus to be described and the nominal species of the group nigromaculatus. However, since its description, no ... read more

Raft or Bridge: How Did Iguanas Reach Tiny Pacific Islands?

Jan. 14, 2010 — Scientists have long puzzled over how iguanas, a group of lizards mostly found in the Americas, came to inhabit the isolated Pacific islands of Fiji and Tonga. For years, the leading explanation has ... read more

Preference for Gravid Females Makes Rare Iguana Consumption Unsustainable

Dec. 2, 2014 — The Valle de Aguán spiny-tailed iguana is a critically endangered species found in Honduras. A recent survey of people living in the region shows that, although residents are aware of the endangered ... read more

The Lizard of Consistency: New Iguana Species Which Sticks to Its Colors Found in Chile

Jan. 20, 2016 — During a field trip in the mountains of central Chile, scientists discovered a new endemic iguana species. Noticeably, it was characterized by size and scalation, compared to the rest of the local ... read more

Why Lizards Have Bird Breath: Iguanas Evolved One-Way Lungs Surprisingly Like Those of Birds

Nov. 17, 2014 — Biologists long assumed that one-way air flow was a special adaptation in birds driven by the intense energy demands of flight. But now scientists have shown that bird-like breathing also developed ... read more

75 Percent of Spanish Zoos at Risk of Exotic Animals Escaping

Nov. 23, 2010 — Lions, bears, monkeys, crocodiles, parrots and iguanas may seem inoffensive at first glance when they're behind bars in zoos. But some exotic species can escape and become invasive species. This ... read more

Global Climate Change: The Impact Of El Niño On Galápagos Marine Iguanas

Dec. 18, 2007 — A before-and-after study led by Yale biologists, of the effects of 1997 El Niño on the genetic diversity of marine iguanas on the Galápagos Islands, emphasizes the importance of studying ... read more

Jamaican Iguana: Sobering Update on Jamaica's Largest Vertebrate

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