Interesting Creatures… The Iguana

Apr 18, 2021 Interesting Creatures in Guyana, News

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Kaieteur News – The Iguana 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. There were formerly considered only two species 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; however, genetic analysis indicates that the green iguana may comprise a species complex of multiple species, some of which have been recently described.
The word “iguana” is derived from the original Taino name for the species, iwanana. 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.”

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
Iguanas can range from 1.5 to 1.8 metres (5 to 6 ft) in length, including their tail. The two species of lizard within the genus Iguana possess a dewlap and a row of elongated scales running from the midline of their necks down to their tails. Iguanas have varying types of scales covering different areas of their body, for example, there are some large round tuberculate scales scattered around the lateral region of the neck among smaller, overlapping scales. The scales on the dorsal trunk of their body are also thicker and more tightly packed than those on the ventral side. These scales may be a variety of colours and are not always visible from close distances. They have a large round scale on their cheeks known as a subtympanic shield.
Iguanas have keen vision and can see shapes, shadows, colours, and movement at long distances. Their visual acuity enables them to navigate through crowded forests and to locate food. They employ visual signals to communicate with other members of the same species.
The tympanum, the iguana’s eardrum, is located above the subtympanic shield (or “ear shield”) behind each eye. Iguanas are often hard to spot, as they tend to blend into their surroundings and their colouration enables them to hide from larger predators.
Like most reptiles, an iguana has a three-chambered heart with two atria, one ventricle, and two aortae with a systemic circulation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguana – cite_note-dabvp2561-7 The muscles of an iguana are very light in colour; this is due to the high proportion of fast glycolytic muscle fibres. These fibres are not very vascularised and are low in myoglobin, giving them their pale look. This high density of fast glycolytic muscle fibres allows iguanas to move very quickly for a short period of time, which facilitates short bursts of movement but is inefficient for long duration movement, since cellular respiration in fast glycolytic muscle fibres is anaerobic.

PARIETAL EYE
Several species of lizard, including the iguana, have a pale scale towards the back of their head marking the parietal eye. This organ is sensitive to changes in illumination and sends signals to the pineal gland signalling the change between day and night. A photo-pigment commonly found in the lamprey, known as parapinopsin, is also found in the iguana, is photosensitive to UV light, and aids in the signalling between day and night.
Iguanas have developed an herbivorous lifestyle, foraging exclusively on vegetation and foliage. In order to acquire, process and digest plant matter, herbivorous lizards must have a higher bite force relative to their size in comparison to carnivorous or omnivorous reptiles. The skull of the iguana has undergone modifications resulting in a strong bite force and efficient processing of vegetation, according to one study.
In order to accomplish this biomechanically, herbivorous lizards (such as the iguana) have taller and wider skulls, shorter snouts, and larger bodies relative to carnivorous and omnivorous reptiles. Increasing the robusticity of the skull allows for increased muscle presence and increases the ability of the skull to withstand stronger forces.
Furthermore, the teeth of the iguana are acrodontal, meaning that their teeth sit on top of the surface of the jawbone and project upwards. The teeth themselves are small and serrated – designed to grasp and shear food.

REPRODUCTION
Male iguanas, like other male examples of Squamata, have two hemipenes. During copulation, one hemipene will be inserted into the female’s cloacal vent. A female can store sperm from previous mates for several years to continue to fertilise her eggs in case she finds no male within her territory when she is ready to lay again.

MATING/COURTSHIP
Iguanas tend to follow a promiscuous or polygynadrous mating style during the dry season. Mating during the dry season ensures that their offspring will hatch during the wet or rainy season when food will be more plentiful. Females control large territories where they make several nests. Males compete amongst each other for the females in an area and mark their won territory with a pheromone secreted from the femoral pores on the dorsal side of their hind limbs. Male behaviour during sexual competition involves head bobbing, extending and retracting their dewlap, nuzzling and biting the necks of females, and on occasion, changing colour. Once a female chooses a male, he will straddle the female and hold her in place by biting onto her shoulder, which sometimes leaves scars on females. After copulation, eggs are laid within several nests and allowed to incubate. This low level of parental intervention with their offspring makes iguanas an example of r-strategy reproduction. (Source: Wikipedia)

 

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