The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana is a large species of Lizard that is native to parts of Mexico and Central America in countries such as Costa Rica and Honduras.
As their name suggests, this species of lizard belongs to the Iguana family and can grow to over 4ft in length, if you include the lizard’s tail.
Black Spiny Tailed Iguana Taxonomy
The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana belongs to the Iguanidae family of Lizards. This essentially means that the lizard is an Iguana.
Some species of Iguana are common in the pet trade such as the Green Iguana and the Fijian Iguana but there is actually 9 different genera and almost 50 species in the family.
The genus that the Black Spiny Tailed Iguana belongs to is called Ctenosaura and is the largest genus in the family with 17 different species currently recognised.
The genus name is derived from two Greek words ‘ctenos’ which means comb and ‘saura’ meaning lizard. The ‘comb’ is a reference to the spines on the lizards back and tail.
The species in this genus are known as the Spiny Tailed Iguanas and it contains species such as the Mexican Spiny Tailed Iguana and the Black-Chested Spiny Tail Iguana.
The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana is the largest species in the genus. Its scientific name is Ctenosaura similis.
The species was first described by a British Zoologist named John Edward Gray in 1831 when he placed it in the Iguana genus (the genus that contains the Green Iguana).
Black Spiny Tailed Iguana Description
The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana is a large species of Iguana. In fact, it is the largest species in its genus and can reach over four foot in length, including the tail.
Males of the species typically grow larger than females. The appearance of these lizards can vary but they do have some defining features.
They have long tails that contain black keeled scales which is where these lizards get their name.
The background color of the lizard can vary but they are typically light to dark grey or tan in color. They also have a series of dark dorsal bands that extend throughout most of the lizard’s body.
Adult Males and Females are dimorphic meaning it is easy to tell them apart due to differences in appearance. The Males develop dorsal crests and small dewlaps as they mature.
They are able to extend this dewlap by sticking out a bone in their neck. They will do this for a number of reasons such as attracting a mate, to defend territory or to scare off a potential threat.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana can be found throughout most of Mexico. It can also be found throughout a large portion of Central America.
In Central America, it can be found in countries such as Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
It can also be found on a number of small islands off the coast of Central America. These islands are located in both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
In Florida, this Iguana is considered an invasive species. There are a number of established populations of these lizards in different parts of the state.
These lizards like to live in drier arid regions where they will spend most of their time out in the open.
These lizards like to bask and will often be seen lying on top of walls or on large overhanging branches. They are sometimes found along the side of roads basking in the sun.
Black Spiny Tailed Iguana Diet
The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana primarily feeds on plants and flowers. They will often feed on things like leaves, stems, fruit and flowers.
However, these Iguanas are not herbivores and will occasionally feed on a variety of animals and insects.
While plants and fruit make up the bulk of their diet, these opportunistic feeders will also feed on small animals such as rodents, bats, frogs and small birds. They will also eat eggs, insects and arthropods.
A juvenile Iguana will primarily feed on small insects before switching to a more plant-based diet as they mature.
Behaviour
The Black Spiny Tailed Iguana is more terrestrial than arboreal but the can climb and will often bask on overhanging trees or among rocks.
They live in colonies that are controlled by the dominant male. Each male in the colony will have their own territory and there is a social pecking order among the group.
The males among the group will protect and defend their territory from the other males in the group. However, the dominant male will be free to roam through the other male’s territory.
When defending territory, the males will change color, inflate their body, do push-ups or rapidly nod their head. If these displays don’t work, the males will fight by biting or hitting each other with their tails.