Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)
We saw lots of these all over Costa Rica, and according to Wikipedia they are found from Mexico to Central Brazil and the Caribbean islands. They are big - growing up to 1.7 metres and weigh up to 8kg! They are mainly arboreal and can fall up to 15 metres without harm - to them, you wouldn't want one to land on you! One interesting fact that I liked is that they have 3 eyes!
"Green iguanas have a white photosensory organ on the top of their heads called the parietal eye (also called third eye, pineal eye or pineal gland), in contrast to most other lizards which have lost this primitive feature. This "eye" has only a rudimentary retina and lens and cannot form images, but is sensitive to changes in light and dark and can detect movement. This helps the iguana detect predators stalking it from above." Wikipedia.
Wiki also states "Green iguanas from Guatemala and southern Mexico predominantly have small horns on their snouts between their eyes and their nostrils, whereas others do not." Some of the ones we saw had these too! (See other pics)
They also have a dewlap that helps in temperature regulation and is used in territorial and courtship displays.
More in the set below right.
All my other sets of species can be found in an organised form here - www.flickr.com/photos/85387952@N00/collections/
Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)
We saw lots of these all over Costa Rica, and according to Wikipedia they are found from Mexico to Central Brazil and the Caribbean islands. They are big - growing up to 1.7 metres and weigh up to 8kg! They are mainly arboreal and can fall up to 15 metres without harm - to them, you wouldn't want one to land on you! One interesting fact that I liked is that they have 3 eyes!
"Green iguanas have a white photosensory organ on the top of their heads called the parietal eye (also called third eye, pineal eye or pineal gland), in contrast to most other lizards which have lost this primitive feature. This "eye" has only a rudimentary retina and lens and cannot form images, but is sensitive to changes in light and dark and can detect movement. This helps the iguana detect predators stalking it from above." Wikipedia.
Wiki also states "Green iguanas from Guatemala and southern Mexico predominantly have small horns on their snouts between their eyes and their nostrils, whereas others do not." Some of the ones we saw had these too! (See other pics)
They also have a dewlap that helps in temperature regulation and is used in territorial and courtship displays.
More in the set below right.
All my other sets of species can be found in an organised form here - www.flickr.com/photos/85387952@N00/collections/