Ctenosaura is a lizard genus commonly known as spinytail iguanas or ctenosaurs. The genus is part of the large lizard family Iguanidae and is native to Mexico and Central America. The name is derived from two Greek words: (), meaning "comb" (referring to the comblike spines on the lizard's back and tail), and (), meaning "lizard".
Description The species range in size (total length, including the tail) from about to well over . The distinctive feature of this genus is the presence of enlarged, spiny scales on the tail.
Ecology and natural history Ctenosaurs are generally omnivorous, feeding on fruits, flowers, foliage, and small animals.
While studying physiological correlates of locomotion in lizards, a "burst speed" of 34.6 km/h (21.5 miles/h) was recorded by a black spiny-tail iguana (Ctenosaura similis), which is the highest speed reported for a lizard.Garland, Theodore., Jr. 1984. Physiological correlates of locomotory performance in a lizard: an allometric approach. American Journal of Physiology. 247: 806–815.
Captivity C. pectinata, C. similis, and C. quinquecarinata are popular as pets.
Invasive species At least two species, Ctenosaura pectinata and Ctenosaura similis, have been introduced into southern areas of Texas and Florida.Robert Powell, Roger Conant, Joseph T. Collins (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co. xiv + 494 pp. (see page 284). They are also now in southern Arizona.
Species The genus Ctenosaura represents the most diverse group of iguanas with 15 currently recognized species and at least two unrecognized species. These species inhabit lowland dry forests, woodlands and semi-open habitats, below elevation, on both coasts of Mexico and Central America. The species in the genus Ctenosaura belong in several different clades. Closely related species show allopatry whereas species from divergent clades show sympatry. Until 2017, the two species of Cachryx were included in Ctenosaura.
ImageSpeciesCommon nameAuthorityGeographic rangeCtenosaura acanthuraMexican spiny-tailed iguanaLiner, E. A. and G. Casas-Andreu. 2008. Standard Spanish, English and scientific names of the amphibians and reptiles of Mexico Society for the Study Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular 38: i-iv, 1-162. (pages 58-59)(Shaw, 1802)Shaw, G. 1802. General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History. Vol.3, part 2. G. Kearsley, Thomas Davison, London: 313-615.Eastern MexicoCtenosaura bakeriBaker's spinytail iguanaStejneger, 1901Stejneger, Leonhard 1901. On a new species of spiny-tailed iguana from Utilla Island, Honduras. Proc. US Natl. Mus. 23 (1217): 467-468Utila island off HondurasCtenosaura clarkiMichoacan club tailBailey, 1928Bailey, J. W. 1928. A revision of the lizards of the genus Ctenosaura. Proc. US Natl. Mus. 73 (2733): 1-55Western MexicoCtenosaura conspicuosaIsla San Esteban spiny-tailed iguanaDickerson, 1919Dickerson, M. C. 1919. Diagnoses of Twenty-Three New Species and a New Genus of Lizards from Lower California. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 41 (10): 461-477.San Esteban Island, Gulf of CaliforniaCtenosaura flavidorsalisYellowback spinytail iguana G. Köhler & Klemmer, 1994Honduras, El Salvador, and GuatemalaCtenosaura hemilophaCape spiny-tail iguana(Cope, 1863)Cope, E.D. 1863. Descriptions of new American Squamata in the Museum of the Smtihsonian Institution. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 15 : 100-106Southern half of Baja California, MexicoCtenosaura macrolophaSonora spiny-tailed iguanaSmith, H. M. 1972Smith, H.M. 1972. The sonoran subspecies of the lizard Ctenosaura hemilopha. Great Basin Naturalist 32 (2): 104-111.Sonora, MexicoCtenosaura melanosternaBlack-chested spinytail iguanaBuckley & Axtell, 1997HondurasCtenosaura nolascensisIsla San Pedro Nolasco spiny-tailed iguanaSmith, H. M. 1972San Pedro Nolasco Island, Gulf of CaliforniaCtenosaura oaxacanaOaxacan spiny-tail iguanaG. Köhler & Hasbún, 2001Köhler, G. & C.R. Hasbun 2001. A new species of spiny-tailed iguana from Mexico formerly referred to Ctenosaura quinquecarinata (Gray 1842) (Reptilia, Squamata, Iguanidae). Senckenbergiana biologica 81: 257-267Oaxaca, MexicoCtenosaura oedirhinaRoatán spinytail iguanade Queiroz, 1987Roatán, HondurasCtenosaura palearisGuatemalan spinytail iguana Stejneger, 1899GuatemalaCtenosaura pectinataWestern spiny-tail iguana(Wiegmann, 1834)Wiegmann, A.F.A. 1834. Herpetologia Mexicana, seu descriptio amphibiorum novae hispaniae, quae itineribus comitis de Sack, Ferdinandi Deppe et Chr. Guil. Schiede im Museum Zoologicum Berolinense Pervenerunt. Pars prima, saurorum species. Berlin, Lüderitz, iv + 54 pp.Western Mexico. Introduced to southern areas of Texas and Florida.Ctenosaura quinquecarinataClub tail iguanaGray, 1842Gray, J. E. 1842. Description of some new species of Reptiles, chiefly from the British Museum collection. Zoological Miscellany 2: 57-59.Nicaragua and Costa Rica.Ctenosaura similisBlack spiny-tail iguana(Gray, 1831)Gray, J. E. 1831 . A synopsis of the species of Class Reptilia. In: Griffith, E & E. Pidgeon: The animal kingdom arranged in conformity with its organisation by the Baron Cuvier with additional descriptions of all the species hither named, and of many before noticed. V Whittaker, Treacher and Co., London: 481 + 110 pp.Mexico and Central America; reported in some Colombian islands, introduced to southern Florida.
References
Further reading Frost DR, Etheridge RE (1989). "A Phylogenetic Analysis and Taxonomy of Iguanian Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)". Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist. Misc. Publ. 81. Frost DR, Etheridge R, Janies D, Titus TA (2001). "Total evidence, sequence alignment, evolution of Polychrotid lizards, and a reclassification of the Iguania (Squamata: Iguania)". American Museum Novitates (3343): 1-38.
External links
Garland T Jr (1984). "Physiological correlates of locomotory performance in a lizard: an allometric approach". American J. Physiol. 247 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 16): R806-R815. PDF IIF Announces Fundraising Campaign Spiny Tailed Iguana Pictures