The Cuban Rock Iguana is a large species of Iguana that is native to parts of the Caribbean in countries such as Cuba and the Cayman Islands.
This lizard belongs to a group known as the Rock Iguanas. It is one of the largest species in this genus.
Cuban Rock Iguana Taxonomy
The Cuban Rock 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 Cuban Rock Iguana belongs to is called Cyclura and the lizards in this genus are commonly known as Rock Iguanas.
The lizards in this genus are all native to the West Indies and most species or sub-species are restricted to a single Island.
There are currently 10 recognised species in the Cyclura genus as well as a further 8 sub-species that are recognised.
Some of the other species in the genus include the Rhinoceros iguana and the Jamaican Iguana.
The scientific name for the Cuban Rock Iguana is Cyclura nubila and there are two recognised sub-species.
The nominate species, the Cuban Rock Iguana has the scientific name Cyclura nubila nubila while the Cayman Islands Ground Iguana has the scientific name Cyclura nubila caymanensis.
Cuban Rock Iguana Description
The Cuban Rock Iguana has a typical Iguana looking appearance with their powerful limbs, long straight tail and sharp claws.
They also have that characteristic flap of skin on their neck called a dewlap which is almost always associated with Iguanas.
They are a very large species of Iguana and can reach up to 5ft in length, including the tail. They can also weigh up to 15lbs or around 7kg.
The coloration of the lizard can vary from dark greys to lighter browns. They also have some noticeable banding.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
As their name suggests, the Cuban Rock Iguana van be found in the rocky coastal areas of Cuba.
These lizards can also be found on thousands of small rocky islands that surround Cuba. One of these, Isla de la Juventud, has one of the most established populations of these Iguanas.
The Cayman Island Ground Iguana, which is a sub-species of Cuban Rock Iguana can be found on the Cayman Islands.
The majority of specimens live on the island of Little Cayman with an estimated 1,500 individuals living on the island.
The Cuban Rock Iguana likes to make its burrow at the base of a cactus or under thistles which offer additional security.
This lizard will eat the fruit and flowers from these plants which provide them with a great source of food and water, right on their door step.
They will also burrow under dead trees or hollow logs as well as the crevices of the rocks which make up most of these islands.
Cuban Rock Iguana Behaviour
The Cuban Rock Iguana is primarily a terrestrial species that spend most of their time among the rocky terrain of their islands.
However, they are able to climb and juveniles in particular are quite arboreal. They will spend a large amount of time in trees away from predators.
These lizards seem to have relatively slow movements and will often remain motionless for large periods of time as they bask among the rocks.
However, if startled they are capable of moving fairly fast. They are only able to do this in short bursts though as they are a fairly bulky lizard.
Their best chance of an escape is to use their short burst of speed to get close to the water where they can escape a potential predator.
This is a common technique used by these lizards. They are able to jump from large heights into water and they are excellent swimmers. They use their powerful tails to propel them through the water.
Cuban Rock Iguana Diet
The Cuban Rock Iguana has a diet that consists mainly of plant matter. This makes up around 95% of their diet with the remainder of their diet consisting of meat and insects.
Juveniles tend to eat a lot more insects but will switch to a more herbivorous diet as they age. This is probably due to their protein requirements as they grow.
Some of the plant matter that these lizards consume include rock scrub, thistle, prickly pear, mangrove and olives.
Researchers studying these animals have observed them consume matter from over 30 different species of plants in the area.
They will eat the leaves, flowers and fruits from these plants and are believed to be an important seed disperser for the native plants.
Reproduction
The Cuban Rock Iguana typically reaches sexual maturity when they are around two to three years of age. Until they mature, males are generally not aggressive towards each other.
However, once they mature, males will hold their own territory and will defend it against other males. Females are generally not aggressive towards each other, other than when they lay their eggs.
Mating usually occurs during the early summer months and after around a month, the female will lay anywhere from 3 to 20 eggs. Females are known to use the exact same nesting sites every year.
They are known to lay their eggs in crocodile nesting sites as the crocodile eggs have already hatched and the babies have left the nesting site.
It can take a further 3-4 months for the eggs to hatch and the females are known to guard the nesting sites from potential threats by standing over the site and shaking her head and hissing at threats.